Bhubaneswar: Around 25 lakh farmers of Odisha will get the first instalment of financial assistance under the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme of the State Government after swearing-in of Naveen Patnaik as the Chief Minister for the fifth consecutive term.

Hours after the swearing-in ceremony scheduled to be held at the Idco Exhibition Ground here on May 29, Patnaik will disburse the amount to the beneficiaries at a special programme at the State Secretariat.

While 6-7 lakh farmers will receive the financial assistance on the very day through Direct Benefit Transfer, the rest will get the same within the next two days.

Patnaik during his election campaigns across the state had promised to provide financial assistance to eligible farmers on the first day of the formation of BJD government in the state.

Worth mentioning, around 42 lakh farmers had earlier received the first instalment of financial assistance under the scheme. Later, the amount could not be given to the rest of the beneficiary farmers as the Model Code of Conduct came into force in the state for the elections.

Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment and Cooperation Department have initiated necessary preparations for the transfer of the amount to the bank account of the rest of farmers. The preparations were reviewed at a meeting at the State Secretariat chaired by the Chief Secretary.

The date for disbursement of the second installment of financial assistance under KALIA is yet to be declared.