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Following is an excerpt from a Pragativadi report.

The state government has decided to set up seven seeds centre in the state to enable the farmers to avail quality seeds without further delay.

According to official sources, the centres would come up at Ganjam, Angul, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Balasore Jajpur and Bhubaneswar.

With this, the total seed centres in the state would go up to nine with two such centres that have been already set up at Rayagada and Bargarh.

The two centres provide certificates on the certified seeds to the farmers.
Apart from this, another centre functioning at Bhubaneswar has been entrusted with checking the quality of seeds.

The state government has also decided to impart training to the farmers about the use of modern cultivation for which it is now contemplating on roping in the National Farmer Extension Management Organisations.

The following ad in Samaja gives highlights of two recently launched schemes in agriculture:

• National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
  • The 15 districts in Orissa covered under the NFSM-Rice scheme (as given in page 40 of the above document) are Angul, Balangir, Boudha, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Malkangiri, Nawapara, Nawarangpur, Nayagarh, Phulbani, and Sundargarh.
  • The 10 districts in Orissa covered under the NFSM-Pulse scheme (as given in page 43 of the above document) are Balangir, Baragarh, Cuttack, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Khurda, Nayagarh, Puri, Rayagada.
• Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY)

Following are excerpts from a statesman report.

Union agriculture secretary Dr Pramod Kumar Mishra …was addressing the 46th foundation day celebration of Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).

The Centre is planning for implementation of two schemes. The first scheme, for which Rs 5,000 crore will be earmarked, will concentrate on rice and pulse. A total of 133 and 168 districts of the country will avail the scheme for rice and pulse respectively. Many districts of Orissa are selected for the scheme, Dr Mishra, said. The second scheme, with Rs 25,000 crore will be implemented with active support of the states. Here the states can propose any project, they feel suitable for them, he added.

“Only rise of production will not solve the problems of the farmers. The post-harvest aspect including processing and marketing are to be taken care of. The premier institutes like OUAT should focus on those type of research, that help the farmers most, Dr Mishra suggested. Keeping this aspect in mind, the Centre is planning to set up three world class modern markets in Orissa,” Dr Mishra, added.

Describing Orissa as one of the leading states in disbursement of crop insurance, he said that the Centre is planning to implement the weather or rain insurance for the welfare of the farmers. He also emphasized on need of study on climate change, food security, maximum utilisation of national horticulture mission, and revitalisation of Extension System (ES), research on seed and opined that in favour of an integrated and holistic approach.

Following are excerpts from a New Indian Express report.

Implementation of the first phase projects of the integrated water resources development of Mahanadi basin are likely to start next year.

While the total project cost has been estimated at Rs 3,493 crore, the prioritised projects to be taken up in the first phase will cost around Rs 1,200 crore.

The State Government has submitted a proposal on the proposed project to the World Bank for funding.

A World Bank Identification Mission which visited the State from August 8 to 15 has advised the State Government to take up the proposed basin development plan in a phased manner.

The major components of the Mahanadi basin development plan include five new irrigation projects on Brutanga, Dhauragoth, Upper Lanth, Ong and Ib rivers, rehabilitation and improvement of 13 major and medium irrigation schemes, and six mega lift schemes at Mundali, Banpur, Padmabati, Baiideswar and Upper Indravati.

Improvement of drainage development in eight doabs under Mahanadi basin and flood control below Naraj are the other components.

The project also includes development of new minor irrigation schemes in the basin, basin planning and environmental action plan, formation of river basin organisation, institutional strengthening and capacity building of Pani Panchayats and support for allied activities such as agriculture and horticulture, Water Resources Secretary Aurobinda Behera said.

… The study should also cover the sustainability of the project, it said .

The Mahanadi basin has a catchment area of over 1.41 lakh sq km covering Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra besides Orissa. Over 23 lakh hectares of forest land falls under the catchment area.

Following is Dharitri’s report on this.

Following are excerpts from the Kalinga Times report.

… The Chief Minister said his government was focussing on growth of agriculture, irrigation, infrastructure development, rural roads, drinking water, and growth in the IT sector, education and healthcare. Improvement in the people’s quality of life was the main objective of his government, Patnaik observed.He said that a special package, comprising a series of schemes, had been finalised by the State government for ensuring development of agriculture.

While a target had been fixed to bring 35 per cent of cultivable area in all the 314 blocks under irrigation cover, contract farming had been introduced in several areas for the benefit of the farmers, Patnaik said.

Stating that rural development was also a priority area for his government, Patnaik said efforts were on to improve rural road connectivity and ensure availability of safe drinking water in villages. The Jaldhara scheme was being implemented to provide piped water facility to 1000 villages in the first phase.

The government had also launched new schemes such as the Biju KBK Yojana, Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana and Biju Gramjyoti Yojana for rural development.

Mentioning about the excellent performance of tribal schools in this year’s High School Certificate examination, Patnaik said that priority was being accorded to education of tribal children. A total of 1000 hostels for tribal girls were being established in the State, he added.

As regards growth in the information technology sector, the Chief Minister said Bhubaneswar was fast growing as a major IT hub in the country. Companies such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Genpact and Satyam had already started their operation and very soon many companies were going to begin BPO business, he said.

The State’s software export was likely to cross Rs 700 crore during the current financial year, the Chief Minister said.

Patnaik said the government was also taking measures for proper utilisation of the rich mineral resources for the development of the State and its people. A total of 25 steel industries had already started production, he added. …

Following is Dharitri’s report on this.

The Emami group has recently diversified into Jatropha cultivation. Following is a recent news item on it.

The State Bank of Hyderabad, …

Meanwhile, the bank approved a loan proposal of the Emami group’s jatropha cultivation project in Orissa.

New Indian Express has a status report as well as suggestions. Following are some excerpts.

… As per Central Silk Board, the nodal agency looking at silk production in India, Orissa’s strength lies in its lustrous ‘Vanya’ variety that can even give China, the largest producer of silk in the world, a run for its money.

Currently, Vanya silk’s share is 11 percent of the total production in the country and Orissa is a major growing region. But the State has been doing it half-heartedly.

It is also the third largest producer of Tasar silk in the country. Widely used as furnishings and interiors, Tasar has very high demand in the US and European Union.

Tasar’s USP of colour-variety provides a blooming high value market but for Orissa’s inability to tap potential, it loses a good amount of foreign exchange. Nationally, sericulture provides employment to over 60 lakh people involving over seven lakh farmers in 59,000 villages.

In comparison, Orissa looks quite pallid as the production of raw silk naturally accounts for a measly 0.1 percent of the country’s production at 22 tonne.

The number of silk farmers is a mere 0.8 percent of the national figure. Raw silk production in Jharkhand is nearly 13 times and in Chhattisgarh nearly 9-10 times more than that of Orissa.

What is of more concern is that vital parameters like area under silk cultivation, raw silk production and a number of farmers engaged, are seeing a continuous decline.

The textile futures see a bright prospect for silk in the coming years. China is at present realising a price value of over USD 31 a kg, a rise from USD 29 a kg in 2005, riding on rising demand in the Western countries.

… The State needs to seize the initiative soon as the international demand is accompanied by growth in domestic consumption of silk, due to rise in the middle class population. And, India is the largest consumer of silk in the world.

Following are excerpts from a New Indian Express report on it.

… Omfed has started supplying grass seed, seedlings and mini cuts to over two lakh dairy farmers.

The farmers would be required to grow grass in their lands and thereby reduce expenses incurred on feeding to a large extent. With quality grass included in the diet, milk production would not only increase but also be of superior quality.

The seed, seedlings and mini cuts would be supplied through 3,000 milk societies in the State.