Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], April 30 (ANI): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday disbursed Rs 1,025 crore to over 51 lakh farmers under the CM Kisan Kharif Season Assistance scheme, coinciding with the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.

Speaking to reporters, CM Majhi said the scheme boosts farmers' income and helps them prepare for the cropping season. '...Today, we have provided financial aid to 51 lakh farmer families under the CM Kisan Yojana. The amount is provided in 2 instalments under this scheme. One instalment is given today, and the other will be given on the occasion of 'Nua Khai'. This financial aid helps them to work...It increases their income,' CM Majhi said.

The CM-KISAN scheme, launched on September 8, 2024, offers Rs 4,000 annually to farmers, Rs 2,000 each during Akshaya Tritiya and Nua Khai, to support both Kharif and Rabi cropping seasons. The assistance is credited directly to beneficiaries' bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. The scheme covers small, marginal, landless, and tribal farmers.

CM Majhi also performed the traditional 'Akhi Muthi Anukula' ceremony, marking the beginning of seed sowing in paddy fields on Akshaya Tritiya.

Extending heartfelt wishes, in a post on X, the CM Majhi wrote, 'The government remains committed to the welfare of agriculture and farmers. May the monsoon rains in the coming Kharif season be favourable for agriculture, and may the state make further progress in the agricultural sector. This is my prayer to Lord Jagannath on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.'

Earlier in the day, the Government of Odisha signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gates Foundation to scale up farmers' income and promote inclusive agricultural transformation in Odisha.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo. The MoU outlines a multi-year partnership focusing on technical support, research, and on-ground implementation of climate-smart agricultural practices.

Anchored by the Department of Agricultural and Farmers' Empowerment (DAFE) and the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department. This initiative will drive science-based, ground-level interventions for sustainable agricultural growth. (ANI)