Bhubaneswar: The third session of the two-day conference ‘Vikas Manthan 1.0’ was held at the Loka Seva Bhavan Convention Center on Friday with the theme “Sujala Sufala & Shasya Shyamala Odisha”.
Former Vice-Chancellor of Odisha State Open University, Professor Arka Kumar Das Mohapatra, moderated the session. Professor Sanatan Pradhan, Principal of Municipal College, Rourkela, served as co-moderator.
Senior officials from key departments shared their views on Odisha’s agriculture and allied sectors. Principal Secretary of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, addressed the gathering. Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department, Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav, also spoke at the session.
Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Vijay Amruta Kulange, Director of Fisheries, Rina Mohapatra, and Engineer-in-Chief (Planning and Design) of the Water Resources Department, Lingaraj Gouda, presented their perspectives.
The speakers discussed soil conservation, groundwater and rainwater harvesting, and environmental protection through natural methods. They also highlighted the importance of renewable energy use, aquaculture, animal husbandry, and related protection measures. Government initiatives taken in these areas were detailed during the session.
The officials outlined plans aligned with Odisha’s Vision 2036 and the national goal of Viksit Bharat 2047, according to an official statement.
The session stressed that growth in agriculture and allied sectors depends on collective efforts to safeguard land, water, and forest resources. Experts also pointed to the need for climate-resilient farming practices suited to shifting seasonal patterns.
