KALIA fund transfer by March 31: Behera

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Bhubaneswar: Just a day after getting green signal from Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to continue the KALIA scheme, Agriculture Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera Monday said KALIA beneficiaries will get benefits till March 31.
Stating that a mere 1 or 2 per cent farmers of the state have been left out from getting the benefits of Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme, Behera said the government will take necessary steps to include these farmers under the scheme.
CEO Surendra Kumar has made it clear Sunday that all ongoing schemes where beneficiaries have been already identified can continue as it will not violate the model code of conduct.
As the state government has already identified the beneficiaries for KALIA scheme, it can transfer the benefits to them. The government had also announced that second instalment to these beneficiaries will be transferred from April 1.
Asked about submission of the farmers list to Centre for PM-KISAN scheme, the Minister said, “The state government has submitted first list of beneficiaries to the Centre. But they have excluded three to four lakh farmers from the list. Even, the Centre has not informed us why the names have been removed.”
Besides, he suggested the Centre should consider the State’s proposal to include economically weaker and landless farmers under the scheme. “If all these issues are addressed, the State government will be able to cooperate with the Centre properly,” Behera added.
Responding to the statement of Behera, state BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty said the ruling party, through the KALIA Scheme, has made an arrangement to provide money to party men ahead of the polls. The government yet to give details of farmers covered under the KALIA scheme, he alleged.
“The KALIA scheme is an arrangement to make online transfers to party men ahead of the polls and influence the voters. This is another way of cheating farmers,” Mohanty stated.
The state government is not submitting the farmers list to the Centre in fear that Modi may get credit for the same, the BJP leader added.