Oppn smells rat in Kalia aid timing

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Bhubaneswar: To checkmate the Centre’s PM-KISAN scheme and strengthen its base among farmers ahead of general election, the BJD government has advanced the distribution date of second installment under the KALIA scheme to April 1.
At a public meeting Sunday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the second installment under KALIA will be given away on Utkal Diwas instead of Akshaya Tritiya.
Analysts said the government has changed the date to April 1 because the Centre has started distribution of first tranche of Rs 2,000 to small and marginal farmers under its PM-KISAN scheme. Small and marginal farmers in the state covered under KALIA scheme are likely to get the Central aid. The government transfers the benefits to KALIA beneficiaries from its Contingency Fund (Rs1,400 crore) and from resources of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department. So far, over 32 lakh beneficiaries have been covered under KALIA.
The government will give away the second installment on the first day of the new financial year as it can use the budgetary provision made for the scheme during the Vote on Account (for four months) for 2019-20. However, there is a possibility that the move will come under the radar of the Election Commission as the model code of conduct for general election is likely to be in force during that time.
In this backdrop, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati smelt politics in the move. “The government has claimed to cover 50 lakh beneficiaries under KALIA scheme. Where is the list? The government has covered 12 lakh farmers in the first phase. But, the list it has sent has 9 lakh farmers only, why?” Pradhan asked.
The government is yet to make public the list of landless farmers and sharecroppers while it has announced to distribute the second installment, he said. Bahinipati said, “The Naveen Patnaik government has done nothing for farmers during his regime. Because his party came in third position, he announces scheme after scheme to woo farmers and by giving bribe to youths.”
BJD leader Debasish Nayak said, “It is not bribe. It is an ongoing process. Utkal Diwas is a proud day for the state and every Odia. As it’s an existing scheme, I think there will be no problem of distribution of the benefits.”