Bhubaneswar: For thousands of farming families in Odisha, the money reaching their bank accounts on Friday comes at a time when the next crop season is already beginning to take shape.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi transferred more than ₹833 crore to eligible farmers under the fifth instalment of the CM-KISAN scheme on September 4. The assistance was sent directly through the Direct Benefit Transfer system ahead of the 2026-27 Rabi season.
The payment covers 41,37,782 small and marginal farmers, 13,949 landless agricultural families and 329 members of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. Eligible farmers received ₹2,000 for the Rabi season.
The money is expected to help families meet some of the immediate costs of preparing for cultivation, including seeds, fertilisers and pesticides.
The transfer was made at a state-level programme at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology in Bhubaneswar. Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Minister K V Singh Deo also attended the programme.
The timing is important for farmers who are moving from the current Kharif season towards Rabi cultivation. For many small farmers, even relatively routine expenses at the start of a crop cycle can put pressure on household finances.
Under the CM-KISAN scheme, small and marginal farmers are entitled to financial assistance of ₹2,000 for each crop season, amounting to ₹4,000 a year. Landless agricultural families are also covered through separate livelihood support under the scheme. The state’s CM-KISAN portal says the programme is designed to provide financial assistance for farming activities and livelihood support for landless families.
The latest payment also comes as several parts of Odisha continue to deal with the effects of recent floods and heavy rainfall.
The state government has already announced a separate ₹1,000-crore special package for flood-affected areas. The package was announced in August after flooding affected several districts, including parts of northern Odisha. The government has said relief and reconstruction work will continue in the affected areas.
At Friday’s programme, the government also highlighted support for farmers whose crops have been affected by unusual weather. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said untimely rainfall had been included in the list of disasters, allowing affected farmers to receive government assistance.
Agriculture Minister Singh Deo said adequate fertiliser stocks were available in the state and urged farmers not to pay attention to misleading information about shortages. He also said no eligible flood-affected farmer would be left out of the assistance process.
For farmers, however, the immediate concern is much simpler getting the next crop into the ground on time and having enough money to keep it moving.
The government is also pushing farmers towards activities beyond traditional paddy cultivation. Animal husbandry, fisheries, millet and pulse cultivation, along with organic and regenerative farming, are being promoted as part of efforts to diversify rural incomes.
Odisha has also been encouraging farmers to make greater use of improved seeds and other agricultural support programmes. The CM-KISAN portal is currently open for new farmer registration, with an AgriStack Farmer ID required for registration.
The latest instalment is therefore more than another government payment on paper. It arrives just as farmers prepare for another agricultural cycle, while many families are still recovering from the impact of floods and unpredictable weather.
For a small farmer preparing a field for the Rabi crop, ₹2,000 may not cover everything. But when seeds, fertiliser and other expenses have to be arranged at the same time, money arriving directly in the bank account can provide some breathing room before the next crop begins.
