Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana (BKKY) and unveiled Odisha Agriculture Policy -2013 on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on Monday, while attending a State-level Farmer’s Day celebration organised at Tilottamadeipur under Barimula panchayat of Derabish block in Kendrapada district.
Patnaik attended the Bhumipuja and later inaugurated Akhi Muthi programme, besides exhibition stalls. He distributed subsidized machineries to the farmers. A meeting was also organised on this occasion.
While addressing the farming community, the Chief Minister stated that the State Government has implemented the Odisha Agriculture Policy, 2013 in the State from Akshaya Tritiya. A decline in agricultural growth and profitability in the agriculture sector in the face of the rapid growth of the non-farm sector is a major concern for which the State Government revised its agriculture policy. In the new policy, the State Government has provided more subsidies in agriculture equipment, irrigation and also in agro industries.
To make agriculture a profitable occupation, the Government has been providing special attention on irrigation, marketing and using modern technology. A separate Agriculture Budget this year for farmers worth Rs 11,000 crore was made, he said. Even, in the budget, importance has been provided to mega lift irrigation projects, check dams and installation of deep bore wells as the Government targets to provide irrigation facilities to 12 lakh hectares of land. This apart, a sum of Rs 6,000 crore as agriculture loan only at 2 per cent interest would also be disbursed to the farmers, stated Patnaik.
According to the BKKY, 2.5 lakh farming families, whether under APl or BPl category, would get the health insurance, while five members per family will be availing insurance of Rs 1 lakh, Patnaik informed.
Agriculture Minister Debi Mishra, who attended the function, stated that the BKKY is a bold step to provide health care facilities to the farming families. Earlier, the farmers’ families, who were coming under APl category, failed to get benefits. But, now they would be able to avail the opportunity, he revealed.
Others, who were present, included Minister Pratap Keshari Deb, Kendrapada MP Baijyanata Panda, Patkura MlA Bed Prakash Agrawalla, Kendrapada MlA Sipra Mallick, Rajnagar MlA Alekha Jena, District Collector Niranjan Nayak and the personnel of Agriculture department.
Patnaik inaugurated Indupur-Birupa bridge and laid foundation stone for a creek irrigation project near Akhadasali under Aul Embankment Division. Mahakalapada MlA Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak was with him.
However, hundreds of Congress activists led by former Minister Ganeswar Behera and District Congress Committee president Debendra Sharma courted arrest for staging a protest rally.