Odisha is the only state in the country to have doubled farmers' income, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik claimed on Sunday while asserting that farmers are the backbone of the state and their hard work fetched it the Krishi Karman Awards four times.
Patnaik has been conferred the Capital Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his distinctive and outstanding leadership qualities. Former Chief Justice of India N V Ramana handed over the award to the chief minister at a function here.
Patnaik dedicated the award to the 4.5 crore people of Odisha who, he said, have been continuously blessing him to serve them for the past 22 years.
The chief minister said farmers have always been the "backbone" of his state and their hard work has fetched it the Krishi Karman Awards four times. "Odisha is the only state to have doubled farmers' income," he added.
The central government gives the Krishi Karman Awards to the best performing states in foodgrain production.
Patnaik said Odisha, which was once known for "poverty", is now known for its fastest "poverty reduction" in the country.
The state's governance model is rooted in the "empowerment of women and tribal communities which has always been close to my heart", he said. Odisha leads the country in providing land rights to forest dwellers.
He further said more than half a million tribal girls study in the state's residential schools.
Patnaik said Odisha produces the maximum steel and aluminium for the country.
Odisha increased its steel production by nearly 10 times in the last two decades. The state supplied life-saving oxygen to 17 states during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the manufacturing sector, Odisha attracts the maximum investment in the country, he said.
He also mentioned that Odisha is set to host the Hockey World Cup twice in a row and has set up high performance centres in various sports.