Whalesbook
Budget Reduction Hits Flagship Millet Program
Odisha's ambitious Shree Anna Abhiyan (SAA) millet program is facing a substantial budget cut, with allocations slashed from Rs 600 crore to Rs 415 crore for the fiscal year 2026-27. This represents a nearly 31% reduction, amounting to Rs 185 crore less than the previous year, despite the scheme demonstrating 93% fund utilization in 2025-26. The financial contraction is expected to significantly curtail the program's reach, with the designated millet demonstration area reduced by 50,000 hectares, down from 150,000 to 100,000 hectares.
Farmer Support and Tribal Areas Affected
The reduction in financial support has triggered widespread concern among civil society groups, farmer organizations, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). Farmers argue that this contraction will disproportionately affect small and marginal landholders who transitioned from paddy cultivation to climate-resilient millets. Compounding these worries is the withdrawal of grassroots support agencies from 13 districts, diminishing critical farmer mobilization, training, seed distribution, and extension services. Furthermore, tribal-dominated blocks, identified as primary focus areas due to rain-fed conditions and high malnutrition, will receive no funding this year, even though they were covered under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF).
Market Linkage and Non-Ragi Millets Concerns
Representatives from FPOs in tribal districts like Koraput, Kalahandi, and Nuapada have questioned the rationale behind these cuts. "When a scheme operates at 93 per cent utilization and still faces a budget cut, and tribal districts receive no funds despite assigned targets, something has gone seriously wrong in planning," stated Bidyut Mahanty, an NGO representative. An additional concern is the limited allocation for non-ragi millets such as little millet, foxtail millet, and sorghum. Only about 17,680 hectares out of the 100,000-hectare target are earmarked for these varieties, overlooking their nutritional value and traditional cultivation base.
Need for Institutional Strengthening
Farmer bodies emphasize that strategic support, not budget reduction, is what cultivators require. Experiences from oilseed and pulse promotion programs highlight the persistent bottleneck of market access and procurement. Farmers often sell below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) due to the absence of a robust mandi system for crops like groundnut and sunflower. For instance, prices can drop to Rs 3,200 per quintal when the MSP is over Rs 7,000. Farmer groups advocate for an enhanced SAA budget, strengthened grassroots agencies, targeted allocations for tribal and DMF blocks, expanded coverage of diverse millets, and functional procurement systems. They call for stronger policy commitment and assured market support over investment contraction.