By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, February 22, 2019: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on February 21, 2019 distributed the second phase of financial assistance to over 14 lakh small and marginal farmers taking the total number of farmers benefitted under government’s flagship Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (Kalia) scheme, to 30,40,038 farmers.

Small, marginal and landless farmers were given ₹ 5,000 through their bank accounts. The state government has distributed about ₹1,300 crore among the 30,40,038 farmers under the Kalia scheme, officials said.

The beneficiary farmers will be provided ₹10,000 each per annum for two crops (₹5,000 for Kharif and ₹5,000 for rabi crop), they added.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday distributed the second phase of financial assistance to over 14 lakh small and marginal beneficiaries at a farmers meeting in Bargarh district.

The state government had earlier disbursed money to 12.45 lakh farmers in the first phase while another three lakh landless farmers were provided financial assistance at a farmers meeting in Kendrapara on February 15.

Tribal dominated Mayurbhanj district has registered the highest Kalia beneficiaries with money being sent to bank accounts of 2,27,070 farmers. Deogarh district recorded the lowest number of beneficiaries at 36,468 farmers followed by Jharsuguda with 36,479 farmers benefiting from Kalia scheme.

Mayurbhanj was followed by 1.9 lakh farmers in Ganjam, 1.82 lakh in Balasore, 1.73 lakh in Kalahandi, 1.62 lakh in Keonjhar, 1.6 lakh in Balangir and 1.47 lakh in Bargarh district.

Sundargarh has 1.31 lakh beneficiaries, Puri 1.17 lakh, Cuttack 1.13 lakh, Koraput 1.09 lakh and Nabarangpur 1.02 lakh.

In western Odisha, Sambalpur has 72,530 beneficiaries, Sonepur 63,372 and Nuapada 67,882.