Centre Trying To Stop KALIA, But Can’t Till I’m There: Naveen

Baripada/Keonjhar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday took a swipe at the Centre for trying to stop Odisha government’s flagship pro-farmer KALIA scheme.

“So far, nearly 40 lakh farmers have benefited because of the KALIA scheme. But the Centre is trying to stop this scheme. As long as I am there, no one can stop this scheme,” Naveen assured people at a public meeting at Thakurmunda in Mayurbhanj district.

He also said that the BJD government will credit two pending instalments of Rs 10,000 to bank accounts of farmers on the day the BJD forms the next government in the state.

Maintaining that women are the double engines for inclusive development, the Chief Minister announced that his government will provide financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh for healthcare services to women under its own health Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana.

He also promised a bonus of Rs 5,000 crore for women under the Mission Shakti programme.

Later, addressing a public meeting at Patana in Keonjhar district, the Chief Minister reiterated the Centre’s “apathy” towards Odisha. “Though the Centre receives thousands of crores of revenue from mining in Odisha, it is least concerned about the holistic development of the state,” he said.

Without uttering the name of Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram, he said that two Union ministers of Odisha are not taking up major issues of their home state with their high command. “You are our high command,” the Chief Minister told the people.