Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday asked the newly recruited officers in the agriculture department to focus on the empowerment of farmers. Participating in a ‘Nijukti Parba’ (appointment meet), where as many as 406 officers joined the state government in the Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment Department, Patnaik said his government has been striving to continuously enhance the income of farmers, and empower them.
The agriculture and allied sector is the top priority of his government, he said. Altogether 261 people joined as assistant agriculture Officers, 102 were recruited as assistant agriculture engineers, and 43 officials also joined the Odisha State Seeds Corporation. Patnaik said the large appointments in one go will provide a big boost to the department.
“We have come a long way from being a food deficit state to becoming a net supplier of food by contributing to the nation’s public distribution system. Production of various crops has grown multiple times. Several schemes are in place to support farming activity and diversification of products,” the chief minister said.
He said the schemes like KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation ) and BALARAM (Bhoomihina Agriculturist Loan And Resources Augmentation Model) have created a sense of confidence and trust among farmers.
There is a renewed focus on farm mechanisation for enhancing productivity and facilitating judicious use of the state's scarce natural resources, he said. Under Mukhya Mantri Krushi Udyog Yojana, the state government is encouraging local youth to take up entrepreneurship in the farm sector in a big way, he said.
He also said the Odisha State Seeds Corporation has a critical role in providing quality seeds to farmers. "The department should ensure that farmers get quality seeds at the right time," he added.
