CM Naveen flags off 'KALIA Rath' in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to popularise its flagship 'KALIA' scheme, Odisha government rolled out special vans to raise awareness among farmers about the programme across the State. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik flagged off the 'KALIA raths' in a special function held at Bhubaneswar yesterday.

Official sources informed that 150 KALIA rath vehicles will cover every panchayats in 30 districts. The specialised vehicles fitted with audio-visual equipments will create awareness about the provisions and benefits of the KALIA scheme, informed Cooperation department secretary, Krishan Kumar.

The Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme on January 1. The State government has earmarked Rs 10,180 crore for the KALIA scheme in 3 years. The scheme aims at providing financial, livelihood, cultivation and insurance support to small, marginal and landless farmers.

According to official sources, an amount of `10,000 per family at the rate of `5,000 each for Kharif and Rabi seasons would be provided as financial assistance for taking up cultivation.