Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday presented a Rs 2.90-lakh crore state budget for the 2025-26 fiscal with increased allocation towards agriculture and allied sector.

Stating that empowering farmers to enrich rural lives is prioritized by the State Government, Majhi announced an increase in the allocation under agriculture and allied sector to Rs 37,838 crore in 2025-26, which is about 12 per cent more than the previous year’s allocation.

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Agriculture and allied sectors serve as a primary source of livelihood to a substantial proportion of Odisha’s population, with about 48 per cent of workforce dependent on agriculture and allied sector, the CM said while presenting the budget on the floors of the Assembly.

Pointing out that more than 80 per cent of the population reside in rural areas, where agriculture is the principal source of income, the CM said there is an outlay of Rs 14,701 crore for Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment Department.

This government promised procurement of paddy from the farmers at Rs 3100 per quintal, with input assistance over and above the Minimum Support Price and it has already implemented the scheme for the Kharif Marketing Season 2024-25 with more than Rs.4500 crore has been disbursed till 15th February.

The Central Government’ Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme “PM KISAN” has been integrated with the State Scheme “CM Kisan”, which enables them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs.

It will also protect them from falling into the clutches of moneylenders for meeting with such expenses and ensure their continuance in the farming activities.

For timely financial assistance and input support to the farmers, a sum of Rs 2020 crore has been proposed for the year 2025-26 under CM-Kisan, CM Majhi said.

Highlighting that many districts of Odisha may get special attention PM-Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana to cover districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below average credit parameters, he said the Cotton Technology Mission will hugely benefit farmers of cotton growing belts of Southern and Western Odisha.

Rising urbanization, population growth, and increasing incomes have led to a shift in consumption patterns, with reduced reliance on cereals and increased demand for processed foods and horticultural products.

Crop diversification programme is designed specially to promote non-paddy crops like millets, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables and other high value crops in up and medium-up land instead of paddy.

An area of about 2 lakh ha has been planned to be diversified to different non-paddy crops in the ayacut of Mega Lift Irrigation Projects. Rs 695 crore is allocated for the programme, CM told the House in the Budget speech.

Under this programme, the government’s approach is to double the income of small and marginal women farmers by establishing model Agriculture Production Clusters (APC), he informed.

Stating that the Government has set a target to cover 1.80 lakh farmers to reduce dependence on other States for potatoes, he further announced that the government will supply 1.60 lakh quintals of certified seed potatoes in Rabi Season this year.

These high-quality seeds will provide our farmers with a solid foundation for a bountiful harvest, he added.

The Government has also brought in a Cold Storage Policy and targets to construct new cold storage units in all 58 Sub-Divisions across the state, along with the restoration of non-functional ones for preservation of perishable agro produce, he further said, while listing out schemes to invigorate the state’s agrarian sector.