Bhubaneswar: A review meeting on the implementation of KALIA scheme in Odisha was chaired by Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain at Krushi Bhawan on Monday. The scheme has so far covered over 61 lakh beneficiaries. The meeting aimed to address the issue of those who were left out of the scheme due to various reasons, including Aadhaar seeding failure with bank accounts. The department proposed conducting a drive in all blocks of the state to resolve these issues.
The meeting also discussed setting up a KALIA Commission to monitor the scheme’s implementation and provide recommendations on proposed assistance or incentives for farmers’ welfare. Additionally, the department proposed bringing more technical or professional courses and private institutions under the KALIA Scholarship’s purview to offer wider education and skill development opportunities for the children of KALIA beneficiaries.
The KALIA Scheme is a significant initiative by the Government of Odisha aimed at supporting farmers, sharecroppers, and landless agriculture households. These proposed measures are expected to provide a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to support the agriculture sector and its stakeholders.
The Minister also reviewed the status of 5T implementation in various initiatives of the department. Principal Secretary Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee shared that the department had achieved a record in millet procurement. Over 6 lakh quintals of Ragi have been procured this year. Additionally, the department is well ahead of target in all other sectors, including Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyoga Yojana (MKUY), Crop Diversification, Farm Pond Plus, and Support to FPOs. The Minister directed the department to complete any pending targets by the end of June.
Director of Agriculture & Food Production, Prem Chandra Chaudhary, Director of Horticulture, Rohit Kumar Lenka, scheme officers & other senior officers of the department were present in the meetings.
