PARLAKHEMUNDI: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expand the coverage of KALIA scheme.Addressing a massive gathering of around 60,000 people during ‘KALIA Samabesh’ at Garabandha in Gosani block here, Naveen said Odisha Government’s KALIA scheme for farmers’ welfare is a model for other States in the country to follow. The scheme is both inclusive and progressive as it covers small and marginal cultivators, sharecroppers and landless agricultural workers.
Besides, scholarship is provided to children of the beneficiaries under the scheme for higher education and the State Government has made provisions for interest-free loans up to `50,000 for farmers, he said. However, the schemes introduced by the Central Government do not cover sharecroppers and landless cultivators, the CM said.
On the Mission Shakti programme, Naveen said empowerment of women is a priority for the State Government. Seed money and interest-free loans up to `three lakh are being provided to women self-help groups to make them financially self-reliant.
On the occasion, farmers and sharecroppers of Kasinagar, Gumma and Gosani blocks shared their experiences of how they have benefited from the State Government’s schemes. While many farmers, including women, were felicitated, cycles and equipment were distributed to eligible construction workers at the function.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 840 projects worth around `631 crore. The projects include rural road connectivity, irrigation, drinking water supply and construction of mini anganwadi centres in all seven blocks of the district.
Among others, Gajapati Collector Anupam Saha, SP Sarah Sharma, DRDA project director Chanchal Rana, Special Development Council chairperson Antaryami Gomang, Mohana MLA Basanti Mallik and Berhampur MP Siddhant Mahapatra were present.