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The Government of Odisha has announced modifications and enhancements to the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme, aimed at further empowering farmers and their families.
Recognizing the pivotal role of education in shaping the future generations of farmers, the state also introduced the KALIA Scholarship under the scheme. The initiative ensures that the children of KALIA beneficiaries have access to professional and technical education, thereby fostering social and economic progress within farming families. In a bid to streamline the distribution of agricultural inputs and facilitate farmers' access to financial assistance, the state government has decided to advance the release dates of KALIA assistance. Starting from April 1 for the Kharif season and September 1 for the Rabi season, farmers will receive timely support to meet their agricultural needs. Moreover, the government has pledged additional financial assistance to eligible landless agricultural households who have already received all installments of Rs 12,500 under the scheme. This supplementary support underscores the government's commitment to ensuring the well-being of all farmers, irrespective of their landholding status. To expedite the implementation of the KALIA scheme and integrate farmers into the financial mainstream, the state cabinet has approved the execution of lease deeds and other post-allotment services. This initiative aims to address pre-possession cases and other categories outlined in Annexure-II-A, II-B, and II-C of the Task Force Report. With an estimated budget of Rs 6029.70 crores allocated for the upcoming three years (2024-25 to 2026-27), the government aims to extend the benefits of the KALIA scheme to all farming families. Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment (Odisha) Ranendra Pratap Swain said, "Today is the red letter day for poor students who belong to the farmer community. It's a flagship program that started in 2018-19 and now we have extended it for three more years". He further said, "The other decision is that under the same flagship program, we have suspended the datelines that were fixed for April 1 and September 1 as the release dates of the KALIA assistance. We have made it open, to make it more manageable and flexible if the farmers are under stress and whenever the govt feels that the input has to be purchased". "The third decision is about those landless agricultural households, who are already registered under our department, 18 lakh families were given Rs 12,500 in 2018-19 as they were under stress, and now as the farmers are under stress not only in Odisha but around the country, hence the CM has decided to give another dose of Rs 2000 to all those 18 lakhs families", Minister added. Launched in 2018-19, the KALIA scheme has been instrumental in uplifting the agricultural community, which forms the backbone of the state's economy. The primary objective of the KALIA scheme is to boost education, agricultural prosperity and alleviate poverty among farmers and landless agricultural households. (ANI)
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