Kalia Scheme: Contours, Prospects and Challenges for Agricultural Productivity
Nikita Ahya1, Satya Narayan Misra2, Sanjaya Kumar Ghadai3, Subhra Parida4
1Ms.Nikita Ahya, Research Scholar, School of Management, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
2Dr.Satya Narayan Misra, Dean, School of Management, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
3Mr.Sanjaya Kumar Ghadai, Research Scholar, School of Management, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
4 Ms.Subhra Parida, Research Scholar, School of Management, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
Manuscript received on 02 June 2019 | Revised Manuscript received on 10 June 2019 | Manuscript published on 30 June 2019 | PP: 1317-1322 | Volume-8 Issue-8, June 2019 | Retrieval Number: H7130068819/19©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: Rural sector of Indian economy is predominantly characterized by disguised employment (Ragnar Nurkse), as a disproportionately large number of people (50%) depend on their livelihood on such small and fragmented agricultural holdings; with low productivity and income. Bereft of adequate public investment in irrigation and fresh technological breakthrough after the green revolution, around 400 million India suffer from chronic poverty and high indebtedness as per financial report of NABARD (2017-2018). To mitigate such acute hardships, many state governments are resorting to short term palliatives like loan waivers to farmers, while the Government of Odisha has launched a more ambitious and sustainable Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) [1] Scheme, to provide a holistic package for improving agricultural productivity of small and marginal farmers, extend succour to landless agricultural labourers for sheep and goat rearing, fishery and horticulture and support to the aged and handicapped, who are not in a position to take up such occupation. This paper provides the broad contours of this highly inclusive KALIA Scheme, brings out its parallel in the Rythu Bandhu Scheme [2] by the Government of Telangana and contrasts them with loan waiver spree by many state government. It documents the fractured nature of agricultural holdings, deprivation in terms of assured irrigation, technology and extension support and thumbnails the various parameters that impact yield and productivity in agricultural sector. It demonstrates how irrigation and appropriate inputs can impact on improved cereal production significantly, compared to rain fed low input situation. While complimenting Odisha for such a pioneering initiative to break the impasse of rural distress, the paper highlights its implication in terms of raising Fiscal Deficit (FD) further and affecting the financial health of the state. It emphasizes the need to ensure that such cash transfers do get diverted to purchasing inputs for improving agricultural productivity. The KALIA Scheme needs to be supplemented by a higher public investment in irrigation, greater attention to rural industrialization, which in tandem, will convert the disguisedly unemployed to remuneratively employed, in farm and nonfarm activities.
Keyword: Kalia Scheme, Rythu Bandhu Scheme, Loan Waiver, Agricultural Holdings, Fiscal Deficit.
Scope of the Article: Open Source: Challenges and Opportunities.