Three-Day Matsya-Pranee Samavesh Begins In Odisha; CM Mohan Majhi Launches Kamadhenu Yojana
Milk production rises by 1.35 lakh litres in the last one and a half years.
Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday launched the Chief Minister’s Kamadhenu Yojana at the inauguration of the three-day Matsya-Pranee Samavesh 2026 (Fisheries and Livestock Conference), asserting that the initiative has already begun to transform the state’s dairy and allied sectors, with milk production rising by 1.35 lakh litres in the last one and a half years.
Addressing the gathering at Janata Maidan here, Majhi said the Kamadhenu Yojana was introduced in the first budget of his government with the objective of strengthening farmers’ incomes through livestock-based livelihoods. Describing the scheme as “historic” for Odisha, he underlined the need to diversify rural income sources, noting that around 92 per cent of farmers in the state are small and marginal landholders and shrinking landholdings would pose further challenges in the future.
To address this, the government has prioritised fisheries, dairy and animal husbandry alongside agriculture. The Chief Minister said the Kamadhenu Yojana has been launched with an estimated outlay of Rs 1,400 crore, aimed at boosting milk productivity and encouraging scientific cattle rearing.
Under the scheme, farmers are being provided financial assistance of up to 70 per cent to procure high milk-yielding cows and buffaloes. So far, Rs 262 crore has been disbursed to 4.73 lakh beneficiaries, he said. In addition, Omfed is extending an incentive of Rs 2 per litre to milk producers. An artificial insemination programme using sex-sorted semen to ensure the birth of female calves has also been rolled out, benefiting over 2.30 lakh cattle rearers across the state.
Highlighting broader farm welfare measures, Majhi said the combined impact of the Samruddhi Kisan Yojana, PM-Kisan, CM-Kisan and Subhadra Yojana has raised the average annual income of a farming family to over Rs 61,000.
The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s resolve to make Odisha self-reliant in fish, meat, poultry and egg production. Currently ranked fourth nationally in fish production, the state is aspiring for the top position through schemes such as the Chief Minister’s Fishermen Welfare Scheme, Chief Minister’s Agriculture Industry Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samriddhi Yojana. Innovations like biofloc-based aquaculture and cage culture are also gaining traction, he said.
Fisheries and Livestock Development Minister Gokulanand Malik said the Kamadhenu Yojana had added fresh momentum to Odisha’s milk revolution, while Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari announced that land would be provided for setting up cow shelters across the state.
Calling livestock rearing a “profitable enterprise”, Majhi urged farmers to explore goat, pig, poultry and duck farming, assuring them of government support through loan waivers, free vaccination drives and animal health services. He also issued a stern warning to cattle smugglers, stating that strict action would be taken against illegal activities.
At the event, the Chief Minister distributed financial assistance under the Kamadhenu Yojana and the Chief Minister’s Fishermen Welfare Scheme, and presented the Gopal Ratna Award to Dilip Pradhan of Angul and the Native Breed Conservation Award to Sukant Kumar Biswal of Jajpur. Six farmers each from the fisheries and livestock sectors were also honoured.
The conference saw participation from fish farmers, livestock breeders, researchers, agricultural scientists and students from across Odisha.
