Odisha Channel Bureau
Bhubaneswar: As a New Year gift to the farmers of Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme for the overall development of farmers, share croppers and agricultural labouers of the State.
Launching the scheme via video conferencing at the state Secretariat here on Monday evening, Patnaik said that the KALIA scheme covers 92 per cent of cultivators, loanee as well as non-loanee farmers, share croppers and landless agricultural labourers.
KALIA scheme also includes a life insurance cover of Rs. 2 lakh for farmers across the State, and interest free crop loan up to Rs. 50,000.
Under the scheme, the State government has set a target to disburse Rs. 5,000 each to farmers between January 22 and January 25 in the first phase.
The District Collectors have been asked to identify the beneficiaries so that they could be given financial assistance of Rs. 5,000 per family for Rabi cultivation. An equal amount will be provided to farmers as input cost during Rabi season.
Around 30 lakh small and marginal farmers’ families will be able to avail the amount for their agricultural investment. The scheme will be implemented in three phases.
The scheme will also enable landless farmers to avail a unit cost of Rs. 12,500 for goat rearing, poultry farming, duck rearing, bee keeping and mushroom cultivation.
As per 2011 census, out of 32.46 lakh cultivators in the state, 30.176 lakh (92 per cent) are small and marginal cultivators and 24.20 lakh agricultural labourers are dependent on agriculture as their main occupation.
The fund transfer in the first phase to eligible farmers after verification shall be completed by January 25, while the second phase will be completed by February 15, and left out farmers will be covered in the third phase.
FAQs on KALIA scheme
Q.1. What is KALIA scheme?
Ans: KALIA scheme is a package for farmer’s welfare. KALIA stands for “Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation”. This scheme has been launched by Odisha Government to accelerate Agricultural Prosperity and reduce poverty in the State.
Q.2. Who is eligible to get benefit under KALIA Scheme?
Ans: Small and marginal farmers, landless Agricultural household, vulnerable Agricultural household, landless Agricultural labourers and sharecroppers (Actual cultivators) all above groups are eligible under different components of the scheme. Total of 60 lakh families will be covered under the scheme.
Q.3. Who is a small and marginal farmer?
Ans: A small farmer is cultivator who owns 1 hectare (2.5 acres) to 2 hectares (5 acres) of agricultural land. A marginal farmer is a farmer who owns less than 1 hectare of Agricultural land.
Q.4. What are the benefits available to cultivators for cultivation under KALIA scheme?
Ans: Financial assistance of Rs. 25,000 per farm family over five seasons will be provided to small and marginal farmers so that farmers can purchase inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and use assistance towards labour and other investments. This scheme is implemented from current Rabi Season 2018-19 onwards.
Q.5. Is there any benefit for landless agricultural household?
Ans: Yes, Financial Assistance of Rs.12500/-will be provided to each landless Agricultural Household for Agricultural allied activities like for small goat rearing unit, mini-layer unit, duckery units, fishery kits for fisherman, mushroom cultivation and bee-keeping, etc. This will particularly benefit to SC & ST population of our State.
Q.6. Is there any scope for financial assistance to vulnerable agricultural household?
Ans: Yes, the vulnerable cultivators/landless agricultural laborers will get financial assistance of Rs. 10,000/- per family per year to enable them to take care of their sustenance. The vulnerable cultivator/landless Agricultural Laborers who are in old age, having disability/ disease and are vulnerable for any other reason. Five lakh families will be covered every year.
Q.7. Is there any life insurance support to cultivators and landless agricultural labourers?
Ans: Yes, i) Life insurance cover of Rs. 2.00 lakh at a very nominal premium of Rs.330 will be provided to all savings bank account holder of age between 18-50 years. Government of Odisha will bear farmers’ share of annual premium of Rs.165/-. ii) Personal accident cover of Rs.2.00 lakh at a very nominal annual premium of Rs.12/- for all savings bank account holder aged between 18- 50 years. Out of Rs.12/- towards premium, Rs.6/- is the farmers’ share, which will be borne by the Govt. of Odisha. iii) In respect of the above beneficiary whose age is between 51-70 years, the entire amount of Rs.12/- towards annual premium will be borne by Govt. of Odisha.
Q.8. Is there any provision for providing interest free crop loan to farmers under KALIA scheme?
Ans: Yes, crop loan up to Rs.50,000 will be provided at 0% interest from the Kharif season of the year 2019.
Q.9. Who is eligible to get the benefits under KALIA Scheme?
Ans: i) Small and Marginal Farmers are eligible to get benefit under support to cultivators for cultivation. ii) Landless agricultural households are eligible to get livelihood support under the scheme. iii) Vulnerable agricultural household covering vulnerable cultivators/ landless agricultural labourers are eligible to get financial assistance under the KALIA scheme. Vulnerable cultivators/ landless agricultural labourers include old age, disability, disease or any other reason. Out of the above three components viz., support to cultivators for cultivation, livelihood support for landless agricultural household and financial assistance to vulnerable agricultural household, one beneficiary will avail only one benefit as per the eligibility. Life Insurance Support to cultivators and Landless agricultural labourers as well as the interest free crop loan component are meant for all category of beneficiary under KALIA scheme.
Q.10. What is a Farm Family?
Ans: A farm family constitutes a farmer and his/her spouse along with their dependent children.
Q.11. Whether an employee of the Government/PSU is eligible to get the benefit under the scheme?
Ans: A serving and retired employee of the Central Government/State Government/PSU is excluded to get the benefit under the scheme.
Q.12. Is an income tax payee farmer or his/her spouse is eligible to get benefit under the scheme?
Ans: These categories of farmers are excluded.
Q.13. How a small and marginal farmer (Cultivator) knows that his/her name is included in the list of beneficiaries?
Ans: A draft list of beneficiaries under “KALIA” scheme will be published in three phases at each PACS and GP level. A first phase of Draft Farmer’s list will be published in the 1st week of January, 2019. The concerned beneficiary may check the list at PACS or GP level and know whether his/her name is included in the list. Similarly, the Second and Third Phase of publication of draft list of farmers will be in February and March respectively.
Q.14. What is the remedy available for eligible beneficiary if his/her name is not included in the draft list?
Ans: He/she may fill the “Green Form” available at G.P office and PACS and drop the duly filled form in the “DROP BOX” kept at PACS/GP office level.
Q.15. What steps a serving & retired employee of the Central/State Government/PSU and Income Tax Payee farmer or his/her spouse need to take for exclusion of his /her name from the draft list ?
Ans: He/She may use “RED form” available at GP office or PACS for exclusion of his/her name and put it in the “ DROP BOX ” after duly filling in.
Q.16.Whether a small/marginal farmer during cultivation in Rabi- 2018-19 is eligible to get the benefit under this scheme.
Ans: Yes, He/She will be eligible and get the benefit in January 2019 onwards.
Q. 17. How the benefit under support to cultivators for cultivation will be released?
Ans: The amount will be transferred online directly to the account of the family of the farmer.
Q. 18. How will farmers get information and for registering grievance about KALIA scheme? Is there any HELPLINE for the farmers to know about KALIA scheme?
Ans: Yes, a helpline namely KALIA Helpline is in place with the following phone numbers. A farmer can get information about KALIA scheme by giving a phone call to this Helpline. He can also register his grievance through this Helpline. The number is – 1800-572-1122.This will be operational from 4th January 2019.
Q.19. What is KALIA BARTA?
Ans: KALIA BARTA is an information service being set up by the State Government to facilitate dissemination of information to farmers about KALIA Scheme. Any person wanting to get information on KALIA scheme can register for Kalia Barta by giving a miss call to the telephone No. 08061174222. He will automatically get registered with the Government. All information about KALIA Scheme will be sent to his phone number through SMS and voice messages from time to time.
Q. 20. Whether a person can get information through WhatsApp?
Ans: Yes, to get information about KALIA scheme through WhatsApp. A person has to register his mobile phone number through website of KALIA scheme – www.kalia.co.in . A person may also visit the above-mentioned website to know more about KALIA scheme. This will be operational from 4th January 2019.
Q.21. Are there any special camps being organized for creating awareness and distribution of benefits under KALIA scheme?
Ans: Yes, a farmer can know about details of the KALIA scheme during the PEETHA camps being organized between 15th January and 20th January 2019 at GP level. The PEETHA camp will be organised during the period from 15th February to 20th February 2019 and 15th March to 20th March 2019 also. During the PEETHA camp letters about extension of financial assistance to eligible small and marginal farmers will also be handed over.
