Parliament Question: Special scheme to promote organic and natural farming clusters in tribal areas of Odisha

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 156 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13/02/2026 SPECIAL SCHEME TO PROMOTE ORGANIC AND NATURAL FARMING CLUSTERS IN TRIBAL AREAS OF ODISHA *156. SMT. SULATA DEO Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE be pleased to state: (a) whether the Ministry is considering a special scheme to promote organic and natural farming clusters in tribal areas of Odisha under convergence with Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY); and (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN) (a) & (b): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 156 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 13/02/2026 REGARDING ‘SPECIAL SCHEME TO PROMOTE ORGANIC AND NATURAL FARMING CLUSTERS IN TRIBAL AREAS OF ODISHA’. (a) & (b): The Government is promoting organic farming in the State of Odisha through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2015-16 and natural farming through National Mission for Natural Farming (NMNF) since 2024-25. PKVY scheme stresses on end-to-end support to farmers engaged in organic farming i.e. from production to processing, certification and marketing. Primary focus of the scheme is to form organic clusters, with preference to small and marginal farmers, to create a supply chain. Under this scheme, assistance of Rs. 31,500 per ha is provided over 3 years for promotion of organic farming. Out of this, assistance of Rs. 15,000 per ha is provided to farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer for on- farm /off –farm organic inputs. Till date 1,122 cluster have been formed covering 52,200 ha area and benefitting 79,151 farmers in the State of Odisha (as on 31.12.2025). As per the information provided by the state Government of Odisha, presently PKVY is being implemented in 4 districts namely Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, Koraput and Keonjhar districts (tribal districts) of Odisha covering an area of 6500 ha. Further, National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) is implemented in Odisha since 2024- 25. The Mission has been initiated to promote chemical free natural farming to strengthen agriculture practices with scientifically backed agro ecological approaches towards sustainability, climate resilience and safe food. Under the Mission, there is a provision for an output based incentive of ₹4000/- per acre, per year to a farmer for 2 years (upto 1 acre per farmer) to practice natural farming, train more farmers, upkeep of livestock, preparation of natural farming inputs etc. So far, 443 clusters have been formed covering 60,415 Farmers, and 24,044.91 ha area in the state of Odisha. As per the information provided by the state Government of Odisha, areas covered under NMNF mostly fall in 10 tribal dominated districts namely Angul, Balangir, Bargarh, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nawarangpur, Sonepur, Sundargarh districts. PKVY is one of the components under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY). Under PM-RKVY, States have been provided flexibility and autonomy for selection, planning approval and execution of projects/programmes under the scheme as per their need, priorities and agro-climate requirements. Organic and natural farming have been actively supported by other components of RKVY through convergence. Similarly, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is being implemented for holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo. Promotion of organic farming has been a part of MIDH scheme with the aim to increase soil biological activity and diversity, long term soil fertility, promote healthy use of soil, water and air and minimize all forms of pollution. For adopting organic farming for perennial and non-perennial fruit crops, vegetables, aromatic plants, spices etc., additional assistance is given as per PKVY norms for a maximum area of 2 ha per beneficiary. Till date, an area of 7,381 ha has been covered under organic farming through MIDH scheme. *****