The BJD on Saturday moved the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) against the reported pressure of the BJP on the Election Commission of India to stop disbursement of KALIA assistance to farmers of the State.
“The Odisha Government has launched the KALIA Yojana to provide assistance to the farming community and farmers of the State. More than 37 lakh farmers have been benefitted as of now. This is a much needed programme for the development of agriculture as well as the life and livelihood of the farmers. However, it has come to our notice that the BJP has been trying to pressurise the Election Commission to stop the flow of KALIA funds to the farmers. If this comes true, then more than 20 lalch farmers, whose name are already displayed at the grama panchayats would be severely affected. Their preparations for the upcoming cropping season would be severely hit. The BJP should not be allowed to succeed in its design to stop the KALIA assistance to farmers,” the memorandum read.
The party urged the Election Commission not to be pressurized by the arm-twisting tactics of the BJP as they were in power at the Centre so that farmers would not be deprived of the assistance.
BJP State secretary Bijay Nayak, MLA Tukuni Sahoo, Puspendra Singhdeo, Lambodhar Nayak and Purna Chandra Sethi met the CEO and handed over a memorandum to him.