Odisha CM disburses over Rs 838 cr among 41 lakh farmers under CM-KISAN scheme

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday disbursed over Rs 838 crore among 41.68 lakh farmers as the fourth instalment of the CM Kisan Yojana. Accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo, who is also in charge of the Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment Department, Majhi disbursed the amount at the state-level Krushak Divas 2026 function held at Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack. The state observes Krushak Divas on the occasion of the agrarian festival of 'Akshaya Tritiya', which is being celebrated across the state. Addressing the gathering, the chief minister said that each beneficiary of CM-Kisan, mostly small and marginal farmers, received Rs 2,000 in their bank accounts as financial assistance for the upcoming Kharif crop season. He said that of the 41,68,582 farmers who received the financial assistance, 41,049 are landless and 3,292 are tribal farmers. The remaining 41,24,241 beneficiaries were small and marginal farmers. ''The financial assistance given under the CM-Kisan today will help small and marginal farmers to procure seeds and fertilisers,'' the chief minister said. Under the scheme, eligible farmers across Odisha receive Rs 4,000 per annum in two installments, one during Akshaya Tritiya and another during Nuakhai. ''The farmers in Odisha get Rs 10,000 financial assistance per annum -- Rs 4,000 under CM Kisan and Rs 6,000 under PM-Kisan,'' Majhi said. Both Majhi and his deputy K V Singh Deo, on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, performed the symbolic 'Akhi Muthi Anukula' (showing paddy grain) ritual, marking the auspicious beginning of the paddy sowing season. Majhi, in a social media post, said, ''Our government remains steadfastly committed to the holistic prosperity of the state's 'annadata' (food providers) and to energising the agricultural economy. We are today initiating the direct transfer of financial assistance amounts under the CM-Kisan scheme for Kharif-2026.'' The chief minister ascertained that the growth rate in the agriculture sector in Odisha has reached 5.3 per cent, much higher than the national average of 4.4 per cent. ''This indicates that our agriculture policies have yielded good results,'' Majhi said, adding that Odisha was the second-largest rice producing state in the country. Akshaya Tritiya holds special significance as it traditionally marks the commencement of the paddy cultivation season. Farmers perform the 'Akhi Muthi' ritual -- taking a fistful (muthi) of specially selected rice seeds, offering prayers, and symbolically sowing them after seeking divine blessings for a bountiful harvest.