Bhubaneswar: In a transformative step aimed at elevating agricultural education and scientific inquiry, the Department of Agriculture, Government of Odisha, has introduced a monthly stipend program for Post Graduate and Ph.D. scholars enrolled at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology.
The financial assistance scheme provides Post Graduate students in agriculture and allied disciplines with ten thousand rupees per month for a two-year duration. Doctoral scholars are set to receive fifteen thousand rupees monthly for up to three years. This targeted initiative addresses the financial strain often faced by advanced researchers, enabling them to direct their full focus toward academic pursuits and ground-breaking field discoveries.
The drive behind this policy stems from a vision to strengthen the research ecosystem in Odisha. Driven by the efforts of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy, Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, alongside a proposal initiated by Agriculture Secretary Shri Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav, the measure aligns academic support with the practical needs of the state’s agrarian sector.
Coming from an agricultural background, AGRI Secretary Shri Jadhav emphasized that empowering young scientists directly correlates with long-term security and modern solutions for local farming communities.
By relieving research scholars of financial burdens, the state aims to attract and retain top talent within agricultural sciences, fostering an environment where innovation, crop research, and sustainable practices can thrive. The stipend will apply to all regular PG and Ph.D. students in agriculture and allied departments across OUAT, marking a substantial long-term investment in the state’s scientific workforce.