Kalia Scheme For Farmers Has Been Extended Till Fiscal Year 2023-24

The Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (Kalia) scheme, largely regarded as the game changer for BJD and widely credited with helping it keep power for the fifth consecutive term in 2019, has been extended through the fiscal year 2023-24.

The state cabinet authorized Rs 5,933 crore for the execution of the income support scheme for three years, from 2021-22 to 2023-24, during a meeting on Sunday. The scheme covers over 51 lakh farmers, including 14 lakh landless agricultural labourers.

Parliamentary affairs minister Bikram Keshari Arukh informed the assembly of the cabinet's decision, saying the sum has been granted for the successful implementation of Kalia scheme for three more years with the goal of increasing farmers' income and ensuring their socio-economic growth. Since the scheme's inception in 2018-19, more than Rs 6,000 crore has been disbursed to farmers.

The cabinet also approved the Rs 161.15 crore tender proposal of M/s Iron Triangle Ltd for the construction of a 650-bed hospital in Bhawanipatna. The work has been targeted to be completed in 30 months. The project has a 30-month deadline. The cabinet also authorised a Rs 92.74 crore minimum tender proposal for the building of 30 to 45 kilometres of canal in Mayurbhanj district as part of the Subarnarekha irrigation project.

The project would irrigate 8182 hectares of land in Mayurbhanj and is expected to be finished in 24 months. The cabinet also approved a plan to make the Nabakrushna Choudhury Irrigation Development Programme operational in the next five years with an investment of Rs823.45 million.

Apart from that, the cabinet accepted M/S URC Construction Pvt Ltd's Rs 114.20 crore minimum tender proposal for the turnkey development of Ma Samaleswari temple. The project would take 18 months to complete. The cabinet has also accepted M/s B C Bhuyan Construction Pvt Ltd's minimum Rs 102.40 crore tender proposal for the complete development of Puri town under the ABADHA Scheme.