In a virtual review meeting held today, Union Minister of Rural Development, Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, assessed the progress of key national initiatives, including the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY 2.0) and PM-Awas Yojana. Joining him was Minister of State for Rural Development Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani. Representing Odisha, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, who holds the Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy portfolio, highlighted the state’s impressive achievements. He expressed gratitude to the Union Agriculture Minister for selecting four Odisha districts—Nuapada, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, and Sundargarh—under the Prime Minister Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana, also known as the Aspirational Agricultural District Program. Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secy, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment (DAFE), Subrat Kumar Panda, Director of Soil Conservation and Watershed Development and senior officials from the state’s Agriculture and Rural Development Department were in attendance.