BHUBANESWAR: In its last interim budget before the state assembly election a few months later, the Naveen Patnaik government on Thursday put agriculture and farmers' welfare at the core while portraying a rosy picture of state’s fiscal health Finance minister Shashi Bhusan Behera allocated Rs 19,557 crore to agriculture, 16.7% more than the outlay last year. This include Rs 4461 crore towards KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation), cash assistance of annual Rs 10,000 to around 50 lakh small and marginal farmers, launched recently. The Naveen government is using KALIA as a major poll plank, which has been launched before the Centre’s similar scheme PM-KISAN. Earlier, it had drawn criticism for using contingency fund for KALIA.“Over 60% of our population is dependent on agriculture. KALIA will usher in rural prosperity by way of infusing more than Rs 10,000 crore (in three years) directly in the agricultural economy,” Behera said. Among other key components of agriculture, the government allotted Rs 800 crore towards interest subsidy for farm loans and Rs 1777 crore for lift irrigation, Rs 260 crore for seeds and fertilizers and Rs 295 crore for farm mechanization.The government envisages the full budget in 2019-20 will be around 1.32 lakh crore, up from Rs 1.20 lakh crore this year. The vote-on account placed in the assembly is around 56921 crore (40%).Portraying a glowing picture of the economy, Behera said the state is poised to grow at the rate of 8.35 % in 2018-19 surpassing all-India growth rate of 7.2%. Odisha grew at a robust more than 8% in last six years compared to national average of 7.1%. In next financial year, the growth is expected to be in range of 8 to 8.5%, the FM said.The state, which has rejected the Centre’s flagship health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat , for Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, allotted Rs 864 crore for the state scheme. The government allotted Rs 105 crore for Biju Yuva Bahini, a youth volunteer programme, which is considered Naveen government’s move to mobilise youth at village level for poll gain.Among others, the government allotted a substantial Rs 1028 crore for the Re 1 rice scheme, considered a major reason behind Naveen’s poll success in 2014. Under the State Food Security Scheme, the government gives 5 kg rice per month beneficiary to 23 lakh people not covered under National Food Security Act.The government, which has got investment proposals of Rs 4.20 lakh crore from industries during Make in Odisha Conclave 2018, has earmarked Rs 188 crore towards incentives to the potential investors.Terming the budget pro-farmer, pro-poor, po-women, pro-SC/ST, pro-youth, development oriented, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, “It will help us to continue with our good work. We believe in actual work, not just promises".The opposition BJP and Congress boycotted the budget in the assembly. While BJP MLA Rabi Naik said they walked out because of police excess on agitating youth and farmers on Thursday, leader of opposition and Congress veteran Narasingha Mishra said the vote on account smacked politics. “Clearly, the government is lying on the state of economy in view of approaching elections,” Narasingha said.

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