Naveen Knocks On CEO’s Door Over KALIA Red Flag

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday accused the Election Commission of being biased in favour of the Centre, as it has red-flagged funds transfer under KALIA scheme because of the model code of conduct, but hasn’t stopped disbursal of funds under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi programme.

The chief minister said he has lodged a “strong complaint” with the chief electoral officer. “I had come to see the chief electoral officer (CEO) about (lodging) a strong complaint with the election office over stopping our government’s KALIA scheme for farmers,” Naveen told mediapersons. “This is most unfortunate, as they haven’t stopped the agriculture (PM-Kisan) scheme of the central government. The scheme is important for farmers, particularly during this season when they require those funds desperately.”

“I am also disappointed to see that the BJP had complained to the EC about the KALIA scheme,” he said, adding, “The farmers will give them a befitting reply.”

Earlier, too, the BJD had alleged that while the state government’s direct transfer benefit scheme for the agricultural sector was not allowed to be implemented due to the model code of conduct, no such restrictions were put on the Centre’s PM-Kisan scheme.

“In the second phase, money under the KALIA scheme should have been disbursed among farmers by March 31, 2019. But the chief electoral officer, under pressure from the BJP, has stopped the release of the money, citing model code of conduct. People of the state know how the official is doing partiality. The party will move the chief election commission, seeking his intervention in the matter,” BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patro had said.

Last Friday, a BJD delegation had submitted a representation to chief election commissioner Sunil Arora in New Delhi, accusing the Odisha CEO of not allowing disbursement of cash under the Kalia scheme.

The ruling party argued that the process of selection of beneficiaries had begun on March 1, much before the model code of conduct came into force.