Odisha: Naveen Patnaik govt extends its vote catcher KALIA scheme till 2026-27

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha state Cabinet presided over by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday approved a proposal to extend the KALIA scheme till 2026-27 fiscal.

The state government has allocated Rs 6029.70 crore for implementation of the scheme.

Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) proved a vote catcher for the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in 2019 and ensured the fifth consecutive term in power for CM Naveen Patnaik.

“The state Cabinet approved an estimated budget of Rs 6029.70 crore for three years (2024-25 fiscal to 2026-27 fiscal) for the implementation of Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme in the state, said chief secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena soon after the Cabinet meeting.

The state government had introduced the KALIA scheme in the 2018-19 fiscal to provide financial assistance to farmers for development of the farm sector in Odisha.

The state government is now providing financial aid of Rs 12,500 in three installments to the eligible farmers in Odisha in a year.

This apart, the state Cabinet approved a proposal to advance the release dates of financial aid under the scheme.