Chouhan to participate in ‘Mandia Dibasa’ to promote millets
Strategic discussions to be held under Shri Shivraj Singh’s chairmanship on effective implementation of PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana, Pulses Mission, and National Mission on Natural Farming
Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan to interact with farmers and undertake field visits
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be on a one-day visit to Odisha on November 10, 2025 (Monday). During this visit, he will participate in key programmes aimed at enhancing farmers’ income, ensuring nutritional security, and promoting natural farming practices in the state.
As per the schedule, Union Minister Chouhan will depart from Patna in the morning and reach Bhubaneswar by 11:00 a.m. Thereafter, he will attend the inaugural session of the ‘Mandia Dibasa (Millet Day)’ programme as the Chief Guest at the Convention Centre located in the Lok Seva Bhawan. On this occasion, he will highlight the Central Government’s initiatives to encourage the production, processing, and consumption of millets (Shri Anna/coarse grains) across Odisha and the rest of the country. The event will also feature discussions on the promotion of millets as an instrument for augmenting farmers’ income and strengthening the rural economy.
Following the inauguration, Union Minister Chouhan will visit the Sadar region of Cuttack district, where he will conduct field visits and hold direct interactions with farmers. He will listen to their experiences, learn about the challenges they face, and gather their suggestions regarding agricultural policies. During this engagement, he will assess the on-ground status of various agricultural programmes being implemented by the Central Government and review their impact at the grassroots level.
In the afternoon, the Union Agriculture Minister will participate in a joint strategic meeting at the ICAR – Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) in Bidyadharpur, Cuttack. The agenda of the meeting includes detailed deliberations on strengthening the implementation of key national agricultural initiatives such as the PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana, Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission, and the National Mission on Natural Farming.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, scientists from ICAR, and representatives from the Odisha Government are expected to attend this discussion. The deliberation will aim to formulate actionable strategies for achieving higher productivity, sustainability, and self-reliance in Indian agriculture.
Union Agriculture Minister Chouhan’s visit is being viewed as a significant step towards advancing sustainable and self-reliant agriculture in Odisha. Emphasising the importance of Indian farmers in national development, Shri Chouhan has often stated that “India’s future lies in the fields of its farmers, and under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we are committed to making farming profitable, environmentally friendly, and technology-driven.”
Union Minister Chouhan has been consistently visiting various states to directly connect with farmers and review agricultural development on the ground. He maintains that policymaking and programme implementation cannot be effective if confined to offices in New Delhi. Instead, success in agriculture requires understanding field realities through direct interaction with cultivators. His ongoing outreach efforts reflect a participatory approach, ensuring that the government’s agricultural reforms remain closely aligned with the aspirations and lived experiences of India’s rural communities.
Through farmer consultations and field inspections, Shri Chouhan aims to identify region-specific challenges such as soil health, crop diversification, water efficiency, and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.
The Union Minister’s engagement also aims to promote awareness about government schemes that enable modern agricultural technology adoption, improved seed varieties, farm mechanization, and value-added production. These interventions are expected to enhance rural livelihoods while contributing to the national goal of food and nutritional security.
The ‘Mandia Dibasa’ celebration marks Odisha’s continued leadership in millet promotion. With the Central Government’s declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets, Odisha has been a key partner in scaling up millet-based farming systems. The state’s community-based initiatives in areas like Koraput, Rayagada, and Kandhamal have shown remarkable results in both productivity and nutritional outcomes. Union Minister Shri Chouhan’s participation in this symbolic event underscores the government’s renewed focus on traditional crops that are climate-resilient, nutrient-rich, and economically beneficial.
By converging central schemes such as the PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana, which emphasises productivity enhancement; the Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission, which seeks to reduce dependence on imports; and the National Mission on Natural Farming, which encourages chemical-free cultivation, the Central Government aims to strengthen the foundation of a sustainable agricultural economy.
The upcoming joint strategy session at ICAR-CRRI is expected to result in recommendations for more integrated approaches, combining technology, training, credit access, and market linkages for farmers.
Union Minister Shri Chouhan’s visit reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening rural development through coordination between the Centre, state governments, and research institutions. It highlights the vision of building a resilient agricultural system that responds to emerging challenges such as climate change, soil degradation, and water scarcity.
Later in the evening, following the conclusion of all scheduled events, Shri Chouhan will depart from Bhubaneswar for Vijayawada, where he is scheduled to participate in a series of programmes the following day.
