Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced that the second phase of distribution of KALIA assistance would be held on April 1 instead of on Akshaya Trutiya as announced earlier. He said Rs 5,000 would be credited to each beneficiary’s bank account directly on April 1.

He said this while on a visit to Dhenkanal and Angul districts, where he laid foundation-stones and inaugurated a total of 139 projects, together worth Rs 2,082 crore. He addressed a ‘KALIA Mahasamavesh’ held at Panchupada under Hindol sub-division in Dhenkanal district.

The projects inaugurated in Dhenkanal district included 18 check-dams, a, railway over-bridge, 13 pipe water supply projects, a 132/33 KV grid station and two bridges over the Ramial river. Similarly, projects for which foundation stone was laid included Chhatia-Saradeipur Parvati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation project, a mega pipe water project each in Odapada block and Hindol block, four road projects, a three-lane high-level bridge over Brahmani river.

The projects inaugurated in Angul district included Ogi-Para-Tainisi-Jagannathpur road project, a canal bridge at Purnakote, a high-level bridge and six rural pipe water projects. The projects for which foundation-stone was laid included a Parvati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Project, two high-level bridges, 11 road projects, a 100-bed ward in the Angul DHH, a 30-bed health centre at the Pallahada SDH.

Dhenkanal district Collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan revealed that 31, 985 beneficiaries have availed first phase money i.e Rs 5,000 under KALIA scheme. While, 4,499 beneficiary from Sadar block have received the aid, 3,280 from Odapada block, 4, 059 from Gondia block, 5,545 from Hindol block, 3,217 from Kamakshyanagar block, 4,191 from Bhuban block, 3,835 from Parjang block and 3,359 beneficiaries from Kankadahad block have availed the assistance.