KALIA: ODISHA GOVT TO USE RS 735 CRORE IN KALIA, OPPOSITION DISAPPROVES

January 18, 2019 utkalreporter Odisha 0

Government is taking Rs735crore from the contingency fund for the KALIA scheme after bringing about due expansion in the Odisha Contingency Fund size through a cabinet nod on 29 December last year.

However, opposition parties have disapproved this move of Naveen Government of dipping into the contingency fund for KALIA.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan called it “unfortunate” that the government was diverting the State Disaster Contingency Fund (SDCF) meant for addressing the need in the time of disasters to otherwise. “This is a political gimmick just before 100 days to the general election.” The government should make budgetary provision for KALIA, he suggests.

In a similar remark, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Niranjan Patnaik said that the government had launched a scheme without having the fund for that. SDCF cannot be utilized other than in disaster, said Mr. Patnaik. “The state government is utilizing the system to regain power.”

Odisha government is set to disburse cash -benefits to farmers under KALIA scheme from 25^th of this month in the first phase. Some 12lakh to 14lakh farmers will get the benefit of Rs 5000 each as the first installment in their bank account towards cultivation assistance for the Rabi crops under the scheme. As of 15^th January, the last date for enrolment the number of benefit applicant count about 67lakh.

Odisha government has initiated a financial assistance scheme for the small and marginal farmers in the state rather than going with the loan- waiver-scheme that other state governments in the country are in a rush to adopt.

In the next three years, the Odisha government will spend Rs 10180 crore to provide direct monetary assistance to farmers for their livelihood and income boost. The government claims this scheme will cover 92 percent of the farmers in the state.

The scheme comprises of monetary support of Rs 25000 to a farmer in five installments for cultivation over the next three years, Rs 12500 per farmer for alternative livelihood and Rs10000 per farmer for the vulnerable farmers.