THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JULY 29, 2026
Stressing that timely and adequate institutional credit is
the key to transforming agriculture into a vibrant and profitable enterprise,
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment,
Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, on Wednesday called upon banks and financial
institutions to play a proactive role in strengthening Odisha’s
agri-entrepreneurship ecosystem. He said greater collaboration between the
government and the banking sector would empower aspiring agri-entrepreneurs,
generate rural employment and accelerate the growth of agribusiness across the
State.
Singh Deo was addressing the State Level Bankers' Meet 2026
on the theme “Promoting Credit Linkage for Agri-Entrepreneurs,” organised by
the Agricultural Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited
(APICOL) under the Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment at the
Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre in Bhubaneswar.
Highlighting the Odisha Government’s unwavering commitment to
making agriculture a profitable and sustainable sector, the Deputy Chief
Minister underscored the importance of seamless access to finance for
entrepreneurs venturing into agriculture and allied sectors. He appreciated
APICOL’s consistent efforts in promoting agribusiness and creating
opportunities for rural youth, women entrepreneurs and Farmer Producer
Organisations (FPOs) under the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY).
Reaffirming the State Government’s focus on promoting
agri-entrepreneurship, Singh Deo announced that the government has earmarked ₹2,496.40
crore for APICOL under the MKUY scheme over the next five years. He said the
substantial allocation reflects the government’s determination to encourage
entrepreneurship, enhance value addition in agriculture and create a robust ecosystem for
agribusiness-led rural development.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner-cum-Secretary,
Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment, Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav; Director of
Agriculture & Food Production, Shubham Saxena; Director of Horticulture,
Kalunge Gorakh Waman; Managing Director, APICOL, Shubhranshu Mishra; the
Convener of the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC); General Managers of
NABARD and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI); Lead District Managers from all
districts of Odisha; and representatives of major public and private sector
banks operating in the State.
The deliberations focused on enhancing institutional credit
flow to agri-entrepreneurs, simplifying financing procedures, strengthening
coordination between banks and implementing agencies, and encouraging greater
participation of rural youth and women in agribusiness ventures. The
discussions also explored ways to improve access to financial support for
emerging agri-enterprises and ensure effective implementation of
government-backed entrepreneurship initiatives.
On the occasion, banks and officials were felicitated in different categories in recognition of their outstanding contribution to promoting agricultural credit and supporting agri-entrepreneurship in Odisha.
The successful organisation of the State Level Bankers’ Meet reaffirmed the Odisha Government’s commitment to strengthening collaboration among APICOL, banks, NABARD, RBI and district-level stakeholders to expand credit linkage, foster innovation in agriculture and build a thriving ecosystem for agri-entrepreneurs across the State.
