BHUBANESWAR: Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Arun Sahoo on Tuesday said 3.41 lakh of 51 lakh beneficiaries under Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) do not deserve the relief.
What is shocking is that around 20,000 beneficiaries are either Government servants or pensioners and as many as 9,000 are minors. About 12,000 large farmers have also pocketed the financial assistance provided by BJD just before the 2019 general elections.
“The Government servants and pensioners who have availed the benefit will be asked to refund the amount failing which it will be deducted from their salary or pension,” the Minister said. While the Government is still mulling the idea as to how to recover the amount from the large farmers, Sahoo said they will be ‘motivated/encouraged’ to refund the assistance.
As the heads of families of 9,000 minor beneficiaries have been provided with assistance, the amount will be adjusted from subsequent instalments, he added. Under the State-sponsored scheme, Rs 10,000 per family at the rate of Rs 5,000 each for Kharif and rabi seasons is provided as financial assistance for taking up agricultural activities.
Of 51,05,290 farmers selected under KALIA, the Department has taken up 40,21,113 applications including 22,27,542 small and marginal farmers and 17,93,571 landless agricultural workers for suo moto exclusion and updation.
After scrutiny of these applications by utilising the different database like Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, National Food Security Act, P-PAS, State Food Security Scheme and human resources management system, it was found that about 10 lakh applicants were eligible for further assistance under KALIA in September, the Minister said.
Further verification is on and applicants who will be found eligible will be provided the financial help for Kharif and Rabi crops.
The Government said the ineligible beneficiaries who voluntarily wish to delete their names from KALIA list and refund the assistance, can deposit the amount they have received in the bank account:
Voluntary Refund of Kalia assistance, Account No: 38474500762, IFSC Code: 561100010236, State Bank of India, Odisha Secretariat Branch, Bhubaneswar.