Bhubaneswar: Chairing the first cabinet meeting after swearing-in to office for the fifth time, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday increased the number of beneficiaries under KALIA scheme to 75 lakh from the existing 42 lakh families.
Briefing newsmen after the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Patnaik said that the fund release for the beneficiaries started Wednesday with immediate effect and about 25 lakh additional families will be assisted in a week’s time.
This apart, in a game changing initiative towards the economic empowerment of women, the cabinet approved thousand crore of government business to be done by Women Self Help Groups (SHG) through Mission Shakti.
The Chief Minister said 40 different types of activities such as paddy procurement, uniforms for children, hospital diet and mosquito nets, mid day mill will be part of this in the first phase.
Patnaik added that with these two resolutions, the promise he had made about KALIA and Mission Shakti has been implemented on day one.
(UNI)