Odisha Cabinet approves new scheme 'Aahaar' with outlay of Rs 512 crore

Bhubaneswar (25/19/2025): The Odisha Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday approved a new scheme "Aahaar" with an outlay of Rs 512 crore for five years (FY 2025'26 to FY 2029'30). Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja said, "The objective of the 'Aahaar' scheme is to meet the rising demand of beneficiaries and ensure uninterrupted service of providing subsidised meals @ Rs 5. The cost of each meal of Aahaar is enhanced from Rs 23 to Rs 27 keeping the beneficiary contribution unchanged at Rs 5.

The government subsidy per meal is enhanced from Rs 18 to Rs 22 per meal. Aahaar Kendras shall continue to provide quality services to beneficiaries The State Cabinet the Building & Management of Aviation Assets and Network (B-MAAN) scheme - an umbrella initiative of the Commerce & Transport Department, Government of Odisha - with a total outlay of Rs 14,182 crore for a period of five years (2025-2030).

Designed to bring all aspects of aviation under one comprehensive framework, the scheme aims to position Odisha as a leading aviation hub in eastern lndia under the inclusive vision "Aviation for All". A new scheme "Crop Diversification Programme" has been launched by government of Odisha during the FY 2022-23 with two new additional components- Promotion of lndigenous Aromatic Rice & comprehensive Rice Fallow Management. The State Cabinet has approved the scheme "Crop Diversification Programme" for a further period of three years- 2025-26 to 2027-28 with an estimated cost of Rs 1523.98 crore. It is first of its kind agriculture programme with priority on promoting the crop diversification which will help in reviving soil health, increasing the population of micro fauna, preventing change in soil's chemical and biological properties, increase the water use efficiency, increase the production of non-paddy crops and high value crops as well as increase the socio-economic status, nutritional security and income of the farmers. The programme is supported through State Plan Scheme and will be implemented in all the 30 districts of the state.

ln 3 years, a total of 11.50 lakh hectares of Rice Fallow areas will be covered under pulse crop, 1.95 lakh hectares upland & medium land paddy areas will be diverted to non-paddy & high value crops and an area of 1.97 lakh hectares of regular cultivated paddy areas will be diverted to indigenous aromatic paddy of export potential. Moreover, the Cabinet has approved a total outlay of 1952.56 crore for the operation of 20O midi electric buses over the next 10 years.

Under Package VIII, 10O buses have been allotted for Keonjhar (25), Baripada (25), and Berhampur (50).

Similarly, under Package IX, another 1O0 buses will be deployed in Angul (25), Jharsuguda (25) and Sambalpur (5O). Through this project, facilities such as bus charging infrastructure, depot construction and comprehensive operation and maintenance systems will be established in the above six major cities.

This initiative aims to bring significant improvement to urban devglopment and city transport services. The scheme marks a major step towards the vision of a 'Vikshit Odisha' 'Vikshit Bharat, and 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat' contributing to the goal of building a fully developed state by 2047. To meet the rising demand for meat and meat products, the state government is implementing the Scheme "Prani Sampad Samrudhhi Yojana," with two subschemes- Poultry Development & Small Animal Development'.

Earlier, the State Cabinet had approved the implementation of sub-scheme "Poultry Development" for five years up to 2028-29.

Now the proposal was submitted for approval of the sub-scheme Small Animal Development. The sub-scheme "Small Animal Development" under the Scheme "Prani Sampad Samruddhi Yojana (PSSY)" was placed in the Cabinet and has been approved by the Cabinet.