Bhubaneswar: Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, has approved significant restructuring proposals for three major service cadres under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment.
Led by Deputy Chief Minister Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Agriculture Secretary Shri Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav, these measures aim to scale up the agricultural sector in alignment with the Viksit Odisha 2036 vision.
The restructuring of the Odisha Agriculture Services Cadre enhances promotional posts to strengthen administrative and technical capabilities at the field level. The number of Additional Director of Agriculture posts increases from 2 to 6, Joint Director Level 1 from 7 to 12, Chief District Agriculture Officer/Joint Director Level 2 from 33 to 45, Agriculture District Officer/Deputy Director from 102 to 150, and Block Agriculture Officer/Assistant Director from 380 to 400. To balance the total sanctioned strength, entry-level Assistant Agriculture Officer posts are rationalized from 789 to 700, maintaining the overall strength while creating clear career progression routes.
For the Odisha Horticulture Services Cadre, the overall sanctioned strength rises from 403 to 470 posts. The revisions expand Group A roles, including Additional Directors from 1 to 2, Joint Directors from 2 to 7, Chief District Horticulture Officers/Deputy Directors from 23 to 34, and Assistant Directors from 63 to 108. Group B Assistant Horticulture Officer posts also expand from 314 to 319. This expansion supports initiatives in crop diversification, post-harvest management, and climate-resilient farming.
The Odisha Soil Conservation Services Cadre undergoes structural reorganization while maintaining its total capacity at 319 posts. The structure abolishes the former Director Technical post to create 2 Additional Director posts, introduces 6 Joint Director posts, and expands Deputy Director posts from 29 to 32. While 8 Assistant Director posts are abolished, entry-level Assistant Soil Conservation Officer posts remain at 204. This realignment supports field-level implementation of sustainable land management, watershed development, and soil conservation initiatives including the REWARD and Jaladhara programs.
All three cadre restructuring updates will formally take effect following the official publication of their rules in the Odisha Gazette.