Will KALIA Scheme For Farmers Continue In Odisha? Know What Deputy CM Says

Bhubaneswar: With Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) forming government in Odisha, doubts are being expressed as to whether the KALIA scheme launched by the previous Biju Janata Dal (BJD) regime for farmers welfare would continue in the state.

Responding to a question on the future of the scheme, Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo, who is in-charge of Agriculture, said that Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana is a programme of the Central government for the welfare of farmers.

Similarly, KALIA scheme is a special programme of the state government, he said, adding that people should wait in order know whether the programme will continue.

Stressing that people should wait for a decision on the continuation of the scheme, Singh Deo said KALIA is Odisha government’s own scheme and whether it will continue will be disclosed later.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the 17th instalment of PM-KISAN scheme and the money has been transferred to the farmers’ accounts. Sources said Rs 632.48 crore was paid to 31.62 lakh farmers in Odisha.

It may be noted that KALIA scheme was launched by the previous BJD government in January 2019. Farmers in the state have been getting Rs 6,000 in three instalments under the scheme. However, confusion prevails over the fate of the scheme after BJP came to power after the recent elections.