CM Majhi launches Annapurna Yojana on 2 years of BJP govt
Synopsis
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana on 13 June 2026, marking two years of his government in Odisha. The scheme provides an additional 5 kg of free rice monthly to existing food-security beneficiaries, targeting 80 per cent of the state's population to eliminate hunger and malnutrition.
Key Takeaways
CM Mohan Charan Majhi launched the Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana on 13 June 2026 at the two-year anniversary event of his government.
The scheme provides an additional 5 kg of free rice per month to all National Food Security Act and State Food Security beneficiaries in Odisha.
The government stated the scheme will benefit 80 per cent of Odisha's population .
CM Majhi described the expenditure as 'a sacred social investment', not a cost, aimed at eliminating hunger, child malnutrition, and food hardship among the elderly.
The launch supplements existing central entitlements under the National Food Security Act, 2013 with additional state-funded grain support.
The event was held under the theme Bikashar Dhara, Odisha Sara — 'Development's flow, across all of Odisha.'
The Chief Minister's Office of Odisha announced on Saturday, 13 June 2026 that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has launched the Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana, a state food-security scheme providing an additional 5 kg of free rice per month to existing beneficiaries, at an event marking two years of the Lok Sarkara (People's Government) in the state.
Context
The scheme was unveiled under the theme 'Bikashar Dhara, Odisha Sara' (Development's flow, across all of Odisha), the government's stated vision for inclusive growth. CM Majhi said the programme was launched with the goal that 'no family in Odisha will go hungry, no child will suffer from malnutrition, and no elderly person will face hardship due to lack of food.'
In a direct quote from the event, the Chief Minister declared: 'This will bring smiles to the faces of the poor. This expenditure is not a cost for us — it is a sacred social investment.'
Policy Backdrop
The Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana supplements entitlements already flowing from the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, which guarantees subsidised food grains to priority households across India. Under the new state scheme, both NFSA beneficiaries and State Food Security beneficiaries will receive an additional 5 kg of rice free of cost each month over and above their existing central entitlement.
Supplementing central food-security entitlements at the state level is a well-established practice across Indian states, particularly in high-poverty regions, to address localised nutrition gaps that the national framework does not fully bridge. Odisha has historically carried a significant burden of child malnutrition and food insecurity in its tribal and rural belts.
Stakeholders and Impact
The government stated that the scheme is expected to benefit 80 per cent of Odisha's population — a figure that reflects the combined coverage of national and state food-security rolls. Beneficiaries include low-income families, children at risk of malnutrition, and elderly citizens in economically vulnerable households.
The announcement was made at a public event marking the second anniversary of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Odisha, which came to power in June 2024 ending a 24-year run of the Biju Janata Dal under Naveen Patnaik. The launch of a flagship welfare scheme at this milestone signals the government's intent to anchor its two-year narrative around food security and social spending.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to the budgetary allocation required to sustain the additional grain distribution, the procurement and logistics arrangements for sourcing and delivering the extra rice, and whether the scheme includes any official mechanism to track malnutrition outcomes. Independent monitoring of coverage — particularly in Odisha's remote tribal districts — will be key to assessing the scheme's real-world impact. The government's framing of the expenditure as a 'sacred social investment' suggests it intends to make the Annapurna Yojana a centrepiece of its welfare identity ahead of future electoral cycles.
Point of View
' the Chief Minister is positioning his administration as a pro-poor successor to the Naveen Patnaik era, which built its own long political run on welfare schemes. The 80 per cent coverage claim, if borne out in implementation, would represent one of the broadest state-level food entitlement expansions in recent Odishan history. The real test will come in procurement, last-mile delivery to tribal districts, and whether the budget can absorb the recurring grain subsidy without crowding out other social expenditure.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana in Odisha?
The Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana is a state food-security scheme launched by Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi on 13 June 2026. It provides an additional 5 kg of free rice per month to all National Food Security Act and State Food Security beneficiaries in Odisha, over and above their existing central entitlement.
Who is eligible for the Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana?
All beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act and the State Food Security scheme in Odisha are eligible. The government has stated this covers approximately 80 per cent of the state's population.
How much free rice will Odisha beneficiaries get under the new scheme?
Eligible beneficiaries will receive an extra 5 kg of rice free of cost each month under the Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana, in addition to the subsidised grains they already receive under the National Food Security Act.
Why did Odisha launch the Annapurna Yojana in June 2026?
The scheme was launched at an event marking two years of the Mohan Majhi-led government in Odisha. The stated aim is to ensure no family goes hungry, no child suffers malnutrition, and no elderly person faces food hardship in the state.
How does the Odisha Annapurna Yojana relate to the National Food Security Act?
The National Food Security Act, 2013 provides subsidised grains to priority households across India. The Odisha scheme supplements this central entitlement by adding 5 kg of free rice at the state's own cost, a practice several Indian states have adopted to address local nutrition gaps.
