Odisha identifies 2.66 lakh ‘ineligible’ KALIA beneficiaries

Surjit Kumar Dhal, Bhubaneswar, Aug 22: Odisha government has identified 2.66 lakh beneficiaries, who have been getting financial aid under the KALIA scheme, as “ineligible” for the programme, a state minister said on Thursday.

            Of 51 lakh beneficiaries under the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme, the verification process for 36.88 lakh has already been completed so far, state agriculture and farmers’ empowerment minister Arun Kumar Sahoo said after a review meeting.

            “A total of 2.66 lakh beneficiaries of the scheme have been identified as ineligible. Verification of Kalia beneficiaries at panchayat level will be completed by August 27, while the same at block and district levels would be finished by August 31,” the minister said.

            The scheme was launched by the Odisha government to gear up growth in the agriculture sector and alleviate the poverty rate in the state.

            The beneficiaries are entitled to get Rs 5,000 per crop under the programme.

            Sahoo said the “ineligible beneficiaries will not get the second installment” of the financial assistance of Rs 5,000 under the scheme.

            The state government initiated the verification process earlier this month, after members across parties had raised questions regarding the beneficiaries of the scheme in the recently concluded assembly session.