Odisha govt sanctions 12 projects worth Rs 7,295.25 lakh

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government today sanctioned 12 new projects worth Rs 7,295.25 lakh under the Rastriya Krushi Vikash Yojana (RKVY). The projects were sanctioned in the State Level Sanctioning Committee meeting held on digital mode under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy wherein Principal Secretary Agriculture and Farmers empowerment Saurabh Garg outlined the issues for discussion.

Giving sanction to the projects, the Chief Secretary directed to specify deliverables with timelines against each project and monitor those closely. He further directed to do due diligence at different levels of the project implementation and bring out necessary modifications as per ground level feed back in the light of the changing need of the farmers.

Tripathy also directed to identify the projects having potential for promotion of agri-entrepreneurship from among the ongoing projects. The project implementing departments and agencies were asked to expedite implementation of the projects through ground level monitoring.

While presenting the projects submitted by different departments, Garg outlined their technical, financial and administrative aspects for discussion. Garg also lighted upon necessity of the projects in the light of their direct benefit to the farmers. A total number of 12 projects of worth Rs 7,295.25 lakhs were presented by the project proponents. Considering their importance and feasibility,

Tripathy accorded approval to the projects. These projects would be financed both by the Central and the State Government on 60:40 sharing basis.

The major projects approved included promotion of pheromone traps for managing all army worm and insects on crops, e-paste surveillance and management, promotion of soil less nursery in tribal regions, promotion of high value crops, supply of kitchen garden kits, support to WSHGs for mushroom cultivation, planting material support for flower cultivation, renovation and modernization of old diary plants, promotion of nutria garden in tribal area, constriction of seed storage godown at nine places in different districts, supply of mango grafts for backyard plantation, and, supply of mix fruit plants for backyard plantation.

The committee also considered and approved the Annual Action Plan (APP) of Rs 9,136 lakh under different sub-schemes like Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (Rs 8,884 lakh), Reclamation of Problematic Soils ( Rs 250 lakh), and Crop diversification Programme ( Rs 1.96 lakh). Considering the covid impact on filed level activities, the Chief Secretary granted time extension for 26 major projects in horticulture, aquaculture, orchids, breeder seed processing, fish processing, coconut and integrated farming.

Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, Agriculture Production Commissioner Raj Kumar Sharma, Principal Secretary Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment Sourav Garg, Principal Secretary Finance Ashok Kumar Meena, Director Agriculture Muthu Kumar along with Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of concerned departments and members of the SLSC participated in the discussions.