Bhubaneswar, Feb. 17 -- Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi proposed an outlay of Rs 14,701 Crore for Agriculture and Farmer's Empowerment Department in annual budget for the year 2025-26.

Agriculture and allied sector serve as a primary source of livelihood to substantial proportion of Odisha's population, with about 48% of workforce dependent on agriculture and allied sector. More than 80 per cent of the population reside in rural areas, where agriculture is the principal source of income, Majhi said in his budget speech while presenting the Budget of Rs 2.90 lakh crore in Assembly today.

Keeping in view the need of farmers, he proposed to increase the allocation under agriculture and allied sector to Rs.37,838 crore in 2025-26, ...