Odisha: 40 lakh farmers to get 2,000 each under Kalia scheme today

BHUBANESWAR: Around 40 lakh small and marginal farmers and landless farm workers will get Rs 2,000 assistance each under Kalia (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme from the state government on Tuesday.
The government will transfer around Rs 800 crore to their bank accounts on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, the prominent agrarian festival marking beginning of sowing of seeds for kharif season in the state.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to attend the state-level Akshaya Tritiya celebrations virtually and transfer the assistance for kharif 2022 under Kalia scheme apart from launching a series of other pro-farmer initiatives such as a Sugam portal, a single-window platform for farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs.
However, farmers in Jharsuguda would not get the amount on Tuesday as the model code of conduct came into force in the district after the Election Commission of India on Monday announced by-election for Brajarajnagar assembly seat for May 31. Farmers in Jharsuguda will get the amount after the bypoll, a government officer said.
Naveen is also scheduled to launch a special programme for promotion of integrated farming under which farmers will be encouraged to take up two or more crops, vegetables or and dairy, fishery simultaneously to maximise profits.
The state government had launched Kalia scheme in 2018, ahead of the 2019 simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, initially promising Rs 10,000 per year. The first instalment of Rs 5,000 each was transferred in December 2018 and second instalment on the day Naveen took oath as CM for a fifth term on May 29, 2019.