The news of Odisha government working hard towards supporting the farmer community with a scheme named KALIA ( Name of Lord Jagannath), Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme worth over Rs 10,000 crore, for the overall development of farmers in the state .
The scheme was announced on December 21 and given a tag line by Chief Minister Mr.Naveen Patnaik himself as, ‘progressive and a direct attack on poverty’. Instead of following the loan waving policy of the newly elected Congress Governments of three states in the country, the Odisha CM opted for a new policy which covers almost 92 per cent of the cultivators in the state and all landless agricultural labourers.
Under the scheme, the Odisha Government will provide a financial assistance of Rs. 10,000 per farmer family. It could be availed by the small and marginal farmers (around 30 lakh) for agricultural investment.
For landless farmers, the scheme would enable them to avail a unit cost of Rs 12,500 for goat rearing, poultry farming, duckery, bee keeping and mushroom cultivation.The scheme is also having a life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh and additional personal accident cover of Rs 2 lakh for around 57 lakh cultivators and landless agricultural labourers in the state.
To keep the Polls in mind, Odisha withdrew Rs 734 cr from Contingency Fund, says BJP. However, the fact is all the farmers will get the same benefits; the government insists small farmers will gain the most.
This unique scheme started by the Odisha government has come up with a support scheme whose primary targets are small farmers, cultivators and landless agricultural labourers. Called KALIA, the scheme involves payments to encourage cultivation and associated activities.
Under the scheme KALIA, Rs 10,180 crore will be spent over three years until 2020-21 in providing financial assistance to cultivators and landless agricultural labourers. The Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik claimed the scheme will benefit 92% of the cultivators in the state and include every category from big farmers to landless cultivators.
All farmers will be provided Rs 10,000 per family as assistance for cultivation. Each family will get Rs 5,000 separately in the kharif and rabi seasons, for five cropping seasons between 2018-19 and 2021-22.This targets 10 lakh landless households, and specifically SC and ST families. The KALIA scheme includes a life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh and additional personal accident coverage of the same amount for 57 lakh households. Crop loans up to Rs 50,000 are interest-free.
Experts says, this scheme KAILA is bringing confidence on the present government in the state and expected to ease out the problems of the needy farmers in the sate of Odisha.
