The Odisha Cabinet authorized the extension of the “Crop Diversification Programme” for an additional three years, from 2025–2026 to 2027–2028, with an anticipated expenditure of ₹1,523.98 crore on Saturday. This is a significant step towards sustainable agriculture and increased farmer income. The initiative, which is run by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, was originally introduced as a trial project under the Mega Lift Irrigation Projects during Kharif 2021 to assist farmers in upland and medium-land areas to switch from paddy to non-paddy crops. Due to its effectiveness, it was expanded in FY 2022–2023 with two further elements: the development of high-value non-paddy crops and indigenous aromatic rice.

The recently authorized phase represents a major extension

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