Bhubaneswar: Farmers from across the state have thanked Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the timely release of Kalia assistance before the Kharif season. This is going to help the small and marginal farmers to cope up with the tough situation that has arisen due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Naveen had yesterday released Rs 920 Crore to the accounts of more than 42 lakh small and marginal farmers on the eve of Akhsaya Tritiya. As the cultivation season begins in the state, it brings a huge relief for the farmer community as they have work in the farm land and money in bank accounts. With this auspicious gesture, Naveen has once again won the hearts of the people of the state.
Akshaya Tritiya, one of the most revered occasions for the Hindus, marks the beginning of the farming season in Odisha. It is said that any good beginning done on this occasion will be successful. And so the beginning of the Kalia assistance on the eve of Akhsaya Tritiya also marks the beginning of the betterment of the farmers who are today challenged by Covid-19. The Kalia assistance will strengthen their commitment to provide food to the mankind and also to fight with more vigor against the virus. This is going to help the landless, small and marginal farmers improve their families’ economic condition.
While releasing the financial assistance, Naveen said though the state is currently facing the second wave of Covid-19 and undergoing lockdown, there are no restrictions for agricultural activities. Farmers of the state can carry out agricultural activities without any restrictions but with adherence to Covid-19 guidelines. The small and marginal farmers can make use of the money for purchasing farm inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and also for labour and other expenses.
For Surjyanarayana Patnaik, a farmer form Gajapati, said this step of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has brought a big relief for the farmers like me. At a time when we were hit by the pandemic and worried for finances for seeds and other inputs, it has come as a blessing for us. According to Labodar Nayak, Naveen has really understood our sorrow and also proved that he is with the farmers always during their difficult times.
Similar feelings were uttered by Bhaskar Bhoi, a native of Sahaspur in Sambalpur who said, at a time when the lockdown was imposed we aere left without any livelihood. We were living a difficult life for the last few months. We were worried how to cultivate our lands this year. Kalia assistance has brought us the courage now to go to the fields. May lord bless our Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Parmanik Kanhara, a farmer from Rayagada has that the farmer community is very thankful to the Chief Minister. He takes the right decisions at the right time. He has also strengthened our morale by his speech. For Jharsuguda’s Haldhar Kalo, Chief Minister has done the role of friend in need. He had said that nobody can stop the Kalia assistance. He has done it again. Farmer leader Srihari Pradhan from Khallikote in Ganjam is of the view that the Kalia assistance is like sanjeevani at a time when the farmers are fighting the pandemic. Naveen has kept his word again. He once again showed how much importance he gives to the farmers of his state.
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