Odisha Secures ₹155 Crore Incentive for Digital Agriculture Initiatives

Significant Financial Support for Odisha's Agricultural Digitalization

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is poised to receive a substantial incentive of ₹155 crore from the central government for effectively implementing its digital crop survey and farmers' registry, as confirmed by officials on Saturday.

The Union government has evaluated and approved the state's proposals under the Special Central Assistance (SCA), making Odisha eligible for incentives related to both components of AgriStack, a digital public infrastructure initiative aimed at enhancing agriculture.

According to one official, the Centre will allocate ₹100 crore for the successful execution of the digital crop survey (DCS) and ₹55.48 crore for reaching the initial milestone of the farmers' registry (FR).

This acknowledgment highlights Odisha's adherence to national standards, timely achievement of coverage goals, and effective large-scale implementation.

The farmers' registry serves as a verified database of cultivators, facilitating accurate identification of beneficiaries for various schemes, including PM-KISAN, CM Kisan, and crop insurance.

The digital crop survey provides detailed, plot-specific information on crops sown, aiding the state in formulating realistic area and production estimates, procurement strategies, and delivering schemes to targeted farmers.

Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo expressed pride in this achievement, emphasizing Odisha's commitment to enhancing transparency, efficiency, and prosperity in agriculture.

He encouraged the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Empowerment to utilize these digital tools to foster growth and sustainability in the state's agricultural sector.

Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary of Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment, stated that the AgriStack approval will transform data-driven farming, promoting transparency and efficiency.

Padhee remarked, "Odisha is on the brink of a new growth chapter with these digital innovations. Given that agriculture is vital for livelihoods, procurement, and input distribution in Odisha, both FR and DCS will be crucial in transitioning from estimate-based planning to verified, plot-level, evidence-based decision-making across production, procurement, and markets."