Bhubaneswar, November 9: Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be on a one-day visit to Odisha on November 10 to grace ‘Mandia Dibasa’ celebrations to promote millets in Bhubaneswar.

As per the schedule, Union Minister Chouhan will depart from Patna in the morning and reach Bhubaneswar by 11 AM on November 10. 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, 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 will be highlighted. 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, the Union Minister 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, Chouhan 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.

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. 

Later in the evening, Chouhan will depart from Bhubaneswar for Vijayawada, where he is scheduled to participate in a series of programmes the following day.