Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday addressed a massive farmers’ rally in Puri district as the state government released over Rs 600 crore sanctioned through KALIA scheme to over 12 lakh accounts across the state.
Short for Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation, KALIA was launched in December and completed its first phase earlier this month.
Under the scheme, Rs 10,180 crore will be spent over three years till 2020-21 to provide financial assistance to cultivators and landless agricultural labourers.
Patnaik has claimed the scheme will benefit 92 per cent of the cultivators in the state and include every category from big farmers to landless cultivators.
“I have released funds for twelve lakh farmers.” the CM said Wednesday. He repeated his signature line, “Are you all khusi (happy)?”
“KALIA is a milestone in Odisha’s economic progress,” he said. Explaining why the state government named the scheme KALIA, which is another name for Lord Jagannath in Odisha, Naveen said, “The rice and vegetables you (farmers) produce is used to make mahaprasad (at Puri Sri Jagannath temple). You do a great and pavitra thing. That is why I have named the scheme KALIA.”
