Rs 782.2 cr given to 122K ineligible beneficiaries under KALIA scheme: CAG

The previous BJD government in Odisha had released Rs 782.26 crore for distribution of financial assistance to 12.72 lakh "ineligible" beneficiaries under its Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme, a CAG report said. In its report No 2 of the year 2024, the CAG said the scheme was launched in December 2018 to provide financial assistance to farmers, landless agriculture households and assistance to vulnerable agricultural households, life insurance support to cultivators and landless agricultural labourers, and interest-free crop loan. In February 2019, a sixth component 'KALIA scholarship' was added to provide scholarship on merit basis to the children of beneficiaries under the scheme pursuing professional courses in the state. During its launch, the government had promised Rs 5,000 per family per crop season for five crop seasons and Rs 12,500 to landless farm labourers in three years. "Due to lack of preparedness in planning, the government di