Odisha Governor Lauds State’s Commitment to Language, Agriculture, and Urban Development
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Governor Raghubar Das commended the state government for its unwavering efforts to promote the Odia language, emphasizing it as the identity of the community. The Governor hailed the government’s initiatives, including the inaugural World Odia Language Conference in Bhubaneswar and the opening of the new Odia University campus in Satyabadi, Puri district. He expressed confidence that these efforts would play a pivotal role in enriching and preserving the cultural and linguistic heritage of the state.
Governor Das lauded the state’s commitment to eradicating slums, announcing that ten towns and cities in Odisha have already been declared slum-free. He expressed optimism that the entire urban landscape of the state would be slum-free by December 2024, highlighting the government’s dedication to enhancing living conditions and urban development.
Turning his focus to the agricultural sector, Governor Das shared notable achievements, citing a remarkable increase in foodgrain production. During the 2022-23 period, the state recorded a production of 141.36 lakh metric tonnes (MT), a substantial rise from 55.35 MT in 2000-01. The production of rice reached an all-time high of 2,936 kg per hectare, marking a nearly threefold increase from 1,041 kg per hectare during the same period.
Governor Das acknowledged Odisha’s pioneering role in launching the ‘Odisha Millet Mission,’ emphasizing the promotion of climate-resilient and nutrition-rich crops for enhanced nutrition security. He applauded the government’s farmers’ welfare program, ‘KALIA’ (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation), initiated in 2018, which has provided assistance to approximately 43.88 lakh small and marginal farmers and 18.93 lakh landless agricultural households, contributing to agricultural prosperity and poverty reduction.
In efforts to boost milk production, the Governor highlighted the introduction of advanced bovine breeding technology and artificial insemination, with the goal of achieving over 90 percent female calf production. Additionally, the state government is actively promoting goat meat production by supporting Women Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) for commercial goatery units and assisting individual poor farmers in mining-affected districts with small units.
Governor Raghubar Das’s comprehensive address underlined the state’s multifaceted commitment to linguistic and cultural heritage, urban development, and agricultural prosperity, showcasing Odisha’s resilience and progress.
