Min Naik calls for rural innovation

Bhubaneswar: A two-day review meeting of the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) started at the SIRD campus here Wednesday, with a strong call for innovation, self-reliance, and deeper rural engagement. Chairing the meeting, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Rural Development Minister Rabi Narayan Naik urged the stakeholders to transform ORMAS into a leading brand representing Odisha’s rural strength.

In his inaugural address, Minister Naik lauded ORMAS for its consistent efforts in empowering rural producers and artisans through industry promotion, market linkages, and capacity building. ORMAS is in the hearts of the people, Naik said, highlighting the organisation’s grassroots credibility and impact. He emphasised the need to keep pace with modern trends and set ambitious yet practical targets to meet the aspirations of rural communities. Naik outlined the vision where ORMAS would become a key driver of self-sufficiency in agricultural production. He called for a focus on improving crop protocols, post-harvest practices, packaging, and marketing to boost incomes and create jobs. Crops like onion, potato, turmeric, chilli, pineapple, and maize were identified as priority areas for development based on the state’s diverse agro-climatic zones.

Stressing the importance of innovation, the Minister proposed the creation of local processing units and an integrated entrepreneurial cycle to strengthen the rural economy. He noted that each step in the production and marketing chain—from cultivation to final sale—offered significant employment opportunities. ORMAS chief executive officer, Chakravarti Singh Rathore, presented an overview of current initiatives and outlined the next steps in enhancing the organisation’s outreach and effectiveness. District-level officers also showcased their achievements and plans through presentations, sharing success stories and region-specific challenges. Additional CEO Sanjeev Kumar Singh and other senior officials participated in the deliberations, reaffirming their commitment to ORMAS’s mission. The meeting concluded with a renewed focus on aligning rural development strategies with innovation, self-reliance, and sustainability.

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