The disbursed amount included Rs 933 crore as 11th instalment of KALIA assistance for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to 45.67 lakh Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs) and 40,000 Landless Agricultural Households (LAHs) for the Kharif season.

An additional assistance of more than Rs 360 crore was disbursed for 18,03,401 eligible landless agricultural households. The farmers, who have already received all three installments (Rs.12,500 in total) of their livelihood cash support under the scheme, will get Rs 2,000 for this Kharif season.

The Chief Minister announced that the duration of KALIA Yojana has been extended till 2026-27. “The government will spend Rs 6,030 crore for this,” he said adding that every farming family should live with dignity, be strong and contribute to the prosperity of Odisha.

He also inaugurated 30 Kalia Centres which would provide technical assistance related to farming in all the districts. “It will work as innovation and resource centres,” the CM said.

Naveen announced Kalia scholarship for children of farming families studying in renowned educational institutions like NIT, IIT, IIM, AIIMS, ICAR and other private vocational and professional educational institutions of the state and outside.

Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Ranendra Pratap said the KALIA scheme has been highly appreciated at the national level and has helped the farmers of Odisha.

The FCI plays a key role in the country’s food security system, including the procurement of foodgrains at Minimum Support Price (MSP), maintenance of strategic food grain stocks, distribution to state governments and Union Territories (UTs), and stabilisation of food grain prices in the market.

The more than two-time increase in the authorised capital is a significant step towards enhancing the operational capabilities of FCI in fulfilling its mandate effectively, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said on Saturday.

To match the gap of fund requirement, FCI resorts to cash credit, short term loans, ways & means advances, An increase of authorised capital and further infusion will reduce the interest burden, reducing the economic cost and ultimately bring down the subsidy of the government as well.

With this infusion of capital, FCI will also embark upon modernising its storage facilities, improving transportation networks, and adopting advanced technologies. These measures are essential not only for reducing post-harvest losses but also for ensuring efficient distribution of foodgrains to consumers, the ministry said.

The Government provides equity to FCI for working capital requirement and for creation of capital assets. FCI is undertaking a comprehensive initiative to create an Integrated IT system, leveraging existing internal systems (FAP, HRMS) and external systems (State procurement portals, CWC/SWC). The E-office implementation has already made FCI a less paper organisation. These initiatives of integrated IT solutions serving as the core operational software for FCI, shall provide a single source of information and streamline functions with a common digital backbone.

As a part of enhancing its efficiency, FCI is executing tasks such as cement roads, roof maintenance, illumination, and weighbridge upgrades, enhancing food security. Purchase of lab equipment and the development of a software platforms for QC labs aim to improve quality checking.

The government’s dual commitment to MSP-based procurement and investment in FCI’s operational capabilities signifies a collaborative effort towards empowering farmers, fortifying the agricultural sector, and ensuring food security for the nation, according to the ministry’s statement.

The state has already banned use of this non-selective herbicide since October 5 last year.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Arabinda Padhee has written to the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare secretary requesting him to ban this herbicide in accordance with the provisions of section 27(2) of the Insecticide Act, 1968. “As per a report of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Paraquat and its derivatives are highly toxic chemicals and their effect on the human body is lethal. In a separate report, VIMSAR, Burla, a leading medical college, has reported that 140 out of 149 patients admitted into the hospital died due to adverse effects of Paraquat from September 2017 to August 2019,” the letter said.

The VIMSAR further reported that Paraquat causes a spectrum of complications including acute respiratory distress syndrome, renal failure, hepatotoxicity, pulmonary fibrosis and multi-organ dysfunction leading to death of individuals. The medical college authority recommended a complete ban of the herbicide as it has no antidote.

Similarly, collectors and chief district agriculture officers of 15 districts also mentioned about people committing suicide by consuming Paraquat. Thirteen farmers in Nayagarh district died due to Paraquat poisoning last year.

The official letter added that the department has received several grievances and representations from different corners for a total ban on the herbicide.

This was revealed in the state-level conference on Rabi Campaign 2023-24 held in Bhubaneswar on Friday. The target area includes 14.34 lakh hectare (ha) under pulses, 3.73 lakh ha under oilseeds, 5.39 lakh ha under vegetables, 1.13 lakh ha under condiments and 0.3 lakh ha under sugarcane.

The government has also set the production target of 19.39 lakh ton for foodgrains, 7.53 lakh ton for pulses and 4.18 lakh ton for oilseeds during the season.

The focus areas of Rabi programme will be enhancing irrigation usage, promotion of pulses and oilseeds through rice fallow management and implementation of block specific Agriculture Action Plan in delta command areas.

Addressing the conference, Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said Odisha has become a surplus state in rice production due to innovative schemes of the government. “Crop diversification, integrated farming, rice fallow management, cultivation of cash crops such as pulses and oilseeds and vegetables are being encouraged to cope with climate change and increase farmers’ income,” he added.

Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena emphasised on the practice of climate smart agriculture in view of climate change by diversification of crops with emphasis on pulses, oilseeds and vegetables. Development Commissioner Anu Garg said the government is investing adequate fund in water conservation and irrigation system.

Arabinda Kumar Padhi, principal secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment department; Suresh Kumar Vashishth, principal secretary, Fisheries and ARD department; Premchandra Chaudhary, Director, Agriculture and Food Production and Rohit Kumar Lenka, Director, Horticulture also spoke.

Indramani Tripathy, Director ST and SCSTRTI, ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department presided over the inaugural ceremony.

As part of the global celebration of the “International Year of Millets” in 2023, the SCSTRTI and the Odisha Millet Mission have collaborated to establish the “Millet Seed Display Unit” at the Odisha State Tribal Museum.

This initiative aims to create public awareness about the diverse millet landraces cultivated across the state. Currently, the unit is showcasing fifty different varieties of millets that are cultivated in various regions of Odisha.

There are fifty (50) millet landraces cultivated in different districts of Odisha are displayed in the “Millet Seed Display Unit”. The “Millet Seed Display Unit” at the Odisha State Tribal Museum stands as a testament to the efforts made to elevate the status of millets and their vital role in the overall well-being of the people and the culture of Odisha’s tribal communities. This initiative will not only create awareness among the visitors to the Museum on the different facets of this nutrient-rich grain.

In a remarkable effort to promote the significance of millets and their deep-rooted connection to the tribal communities, the SCSTRTI (Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Research and Training Institute), in collaboration with the Odisha Millet Mission, has unveiled a “Millet Seed Display Unit” at the Odisha State Tribal Museum (OSTM) in Bhubaneswar.

The “Millet Seed Display Unit” is intended to educate visitors about the diversity of millet landraces in Odisha and their numerous health and nutritional benefits. Some of the varieties featured in the exhibit include Finger Millet (Ragi), Little Millet, Foxtail Millet, KodoMillet, Sorghum or Jowar, and Pearl Millet or Bajra. Each of these grains has unique attributes, making them an essential component of a balanced and nutritious diet.

One of the noteworthy endeavours of TPSODL is its commitment to the promotion of millet cultivation. To this end, the organisation has mobilized approximately 500 WSHGs and farmers, providing them with essential resources, a press release said on Wednesday.

TPSODL offers capacity-building programs, training sessions, and input support including seeds and on-ground guidance. The goal is not only to empower these individuals but also to promote the numerous nutritional and health benefits of millet. Millet, known for its resilience in challenging environmental conditions with minimal water and fertilizer requirements, also aids in mitigating the effects of climate change due to its low carbon footprint.

During the kharif season, more than 500 acres of land have been cultivated across 8 districts of TPSODL operational areas. In total, 70 Gram panchayats were involved impacting a total of 500 farmers and WSHGs. Which includes 24 GPs of Ganjam, 8 GPs of Gajapati, 8 GPs of Koraput, 8 GPs of Nabarangpur, 8 GPs of Malkangiri, 9 GPs of Boudh, and 5 GPs of Kandhamal. Looking ahead to the upcoming Rabi season, coinciding with the International Year of Millets, TPSODL aims to extend its support to 1000 acres of land and farmers.

In a bid to raise awareness about millets, TPSODL is organising orientation sessions and group meetings at the village and Gram Panchayat levels. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials in local languages are being distributed, covering topics such as health benefits and millet cultivation guidelines. Expert training sessions are being conducted at the cluster level, educating farmers on the significance of millets, agronomic practices like systematic millet intensification (SMI), line transplanting, and the nutritional advantages of millets.

CEO of TPSODL Amit Garg said, “TPSODL stands shoulder to shoulder with farmers and women’s self-help groups in championing millet cultivation. Also, as we celebrate the International Year of Millets, TPSODL aims to extend further its support in its operational area in the coming days. Together, we are sowing the seeds of empowerment, and sustainability.”

Tourism Minister Ashwini Kumar Patra flagged off the superbike rally, Kalinga Rides, near Hotel Sandy’s Tower in the capital city here.

Among others, twin city Police Commissioner Saumendra Priyadarshi, BMC Commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange and Additional Commissioner Suryawanshi Mayur were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Tourism Minister encouraged all stakeholders, including entrepreneurs and local communities, to join hands for promoting sustainable tourism. “Odisha is known not only for its natural beauty but also for the authenticity of its tourism experiences. Let us continue to work together to make Odisha a world-class destination under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The Odisha Tourism juggernaut has rolled and tourism sector is seeing a massive transformation in the state,” he said.

Tourism Director Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav said super bikers have been an integral part of the tourism ecosystem in Odisha. “The ‘Odisha by Road’ campaign was launched 3 years ago with the intention of welcoming more and more riders to the state. Super bikers have been an integral part of the tourism ecosystem in the state and they have been working tirelessly as ambassadors of Odisha Tourism,” said Jadhav.

At least 150 riders, under the banner of ‘Odisha Super Riders’, participated in the rally that concluded at Silver City Boat Club in Cuttack.

At the valedictory ceremony, the Tourism Director read out a special message sent by the Chief Minister to highlight the initiatives introduced by the state government to promote sustainable tourism in Odisha.

“Our flagship project, Eco-Retreat Odisha is a highly successful zero-waste glamping product that ensures tourists can explore nature’s beauty and engage in vivid experiences, in the most sustainable manner. The glamping event is organized every year at lesser-explored exotic destinations to promote local tourism and biodiversity,” said the Chief Minister in his message.

Participating in the event, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab said, “The city of Cuttack is renowned for its rich history and heritage and is a major pivot in the tourism map of Odisha. I thank the Tourism department and OTDC for their efforts towards the holistic development of Tourism in the millennium city. Destinations like the redeveloped Silver City Boat Club and the ‘Byanjana’ Food Court and the water sports zone at Taladanda Canal front which have been recently inaugurated by the Chief Minister will serve as great avenues for recreational tourism for the residents of Silver City.”

Barabati-Cuttack MLA Md. Moquim, Choudwar-Cuttack MLA Sauvic Biswal, Cuttack Mayor Subhash Singh, Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Anil Samal, Cuttack Collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani, OTDC Chairman Lenin Mohanty, Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana Advisor Durga Samantaray and Odisha Super Riders convener Devjyoti Patnaik were present on the occasion.

Members of the Odisha Super Riders community and winners of the Bloggers Contest 2023, organised by the Odisha Tourism, were felicitated on the occasion.

A six-day food festival, jointly organised by the Tourism department and the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC), was inaugurated at the Silver City Boat Club on the occasion.

To mark the occasion, a cultural event was also organised by the Tourism department at Bhanja Kala Mandap in the capital city here. Officials of the Tourism department staged play ‘Nistabdha Sahanai’ during the event.

The Cultural Evening was inaugurated by the Tourism Minister in presence of Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) Director Prasanna Pradhan, ASI Bhubaneswar superintending archaeologist Sushanta Kumar Kar and senior officials among others. The annual magazine of the Tourism department, ‘Paribrajaka’, was also released on the occasion.

The Nigerian Government is focusing on a National strategy to tackle micronutrient deficiencies. In line with this strategy, the government has authorised the fortification of rice, one of the primary staple foods of the country, as a part of the national fortification program.

India’s rice fortification implementation experience is a valuable example for Nigeria, especially the manner in which the ecosystem has been created around fortified rice in the country. India’s approach involves strong government leadership that supports public delivery systems such as the Targeted Public distribution system and other welfare schemes.

“This learning visit aims to provide first-hand experience and knowledge to the stakeholders, equipping them to efficiently kick-start a rice fortification pilot project in Kebbi State using the school feeding program as a delivery mechanism,” said John Uruakpa, Director of the Federal Ministry of Health, Government of Nigeria, who is leading the delegation.

On their arrival in Odisha, the delegation called upon Anu Garg, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary in Lok Seva Bhawan today.

“Odisha achieved the complete introduction of fortified rice across the State in all food based schemes a year ahead of the deadline provided by the National Government. Odisha piloted the first rice fortification in the country in 2012 in the Gajapati District. The State government is open to sharing its experiences and learning, especially towards addressing malnutrition and creating food security,” said Anu Garg.

“We are very excited to host the Promoting Rice Fortification in Nigeria (PRiFN) South-South Learning Visit to India. The visit aims to learn from India’s implementation journey’s successes, challenges, and lessons. Also, to identify how these learnings can be adapted and implemented in the Nigerian context,” said Elisabeth Faure, Representative and Country Director for WFP in India.

The delegation will visit rice fortification sites to understand the process; machinery used, quality control measures, and safety standards. Members will meet with Indian food regulation officials to discuss regulatory aspects and compliance measures. They will also interact with policymakers designing and implementing the rice fortification programme.

V.V Yadav, Principal Secretary FS&CW, Shubha Sharma, Commissioner cum Secretary W&CD Department & Senior officers from concerned departments were present during the meeting.

He issued the order during the inter-departmental meeting for undertaking disaster resilient projects under Disaster Mitigation Fund.

Environmentalists and weather experts in the state had earlier expressed concern over dwindling number of taller trees, including palm, that protect against lightning, which reportedly claimed 281 lives in rural areas during 2021-22. “Palm trees are taller than coconut trees. Lightning strikes those trees on and along farmlands, thus protecting farmers who work till late afternoon and during heavy rain and thunderstorm and lightning. They are now getting killed in such strikes due to nonexistent of palm trees,” said senior meteorologist Umasankar Das.

The palm tree acts as a lightning conductor during storms because of their height and reduces changes of people getting struck by it.

According to environmentalist Biswajit Mohanty, who had written to the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) in this regard, said large-scale felling of palm tree has been noticed in Keonjhar district’s Telkoi range and Dhenkanal and Angul forest divisions.

The subsidy is being provided to the farmers under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme. SAFAL App (Simplified Application for Agricultural Loans) has been launched since 2022-23 to make this process easy. Through this portal, the farmers can apply for agricultural loans from banks and various lending institutions and purchase the machinery. In the last four years, 1,70,296 pieces of agricultural machinery/equipment have been given to farmers of Odisha with subsidy amount of Rs.1005.83 crore. He put emphasis on popularization of small equipment, especially women-friendly equipment.

The fair will be organized between October and December. This year, the government has extended the farm machinery mela up to sub-division level.

Farm Machinery is an important intervention to make agriculture more time bound, reduce drudgery and reduce cost of cultivation. Agricultural mechanization is one of the major interventions to increase agricultural productivity, food grain production, timely farming and depleting natural resources and farm investment.  The financial assistance in shape of subsidy is being provided to popularize Farm Mechanization in the state.

Major machinery such as tractors, power tillers, combine harvesters, reapers, rotavators, rice transplanters, multi-grain axial flow threshers, power weeder and mini rice mills, rubber roll Sheller, mini oil mill, Rice Puffing Machine, Rice flattening Machine, pulverisers etc have been supplied to the farmers. For the FY-2023-24 the target for supply of Farm Machineries is 70,000 nos with a subsidy provision for 450 crore. Till 05.09.2023 subsidy amount of Rs.153 crores has been disbursed towards supply of 24953 no of farm machineries to the farmers.

Due to continuous  efforts in farm mechanization, the farm power input of Odisha has increased from a low of 0.62 kilowatts per hectare in 2000-01 to 2.32 kilowatts per hectare in 2022-23. Last year, district-level mela on farm machinery were organized in all 30 districts to facilitate the sale showcase of new technologically advanced machineries to the farmers of the state.

Among others, Agriculture and Food Production Director Prema Chandra Choudhary, Agriculture Department Chief Engineer and other senior officers and large number of Farm Machine Manufacturers and dealers attended the meeting.