Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate several agriculture and food sector projects in Odisha on October 11. The initiatives are aimed at improving food security and supporting farmers’ income in the state.
One of the main announcements will be the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana, a new scheme focused on ensuring access to nutritious food and helping farmers earn better. The scheme is expected to benefit around 50 lakh farmers across the country.
The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stones for two major fisheries projects — a modern wholesale fish market in Bhubaneswar and an integrated aqua park at Hirakud. These projects are expected to strengthen Odisha’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
Modi will address the nation virtually from New Delhi. The programme will be broadcast live across all Krishi Vigyan Kendras in Odisha and will include an interactive session with farmers.
A preparatory meeting for the event was held on Thursday, chaired by Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Agriculture ministers from various states attended the meeting. Odisha’s deputy chief minister and minister of agriculture and farmers’ empowerment, K V Singh Deo, briefed participants about the state’s readiness for the event.
Chouhan highlighted India’s record production of food grains and vegetables this year and stressed the need for self-reliance in pulses and oilseed production. Officials, including Odisha agriculture department principal secretary A K Padhee, also took part in the meeting.
The new initiatives are expected to further strengthen the agriculture and fisheries sectors, contributing to long-term growth and stability for farmers.