BSKY, Kalia schemes get higher allocation in 2022-23 fiscal

BHUBANESWAR: Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, Kalia, rural housing and priority projects like ABADHA, redevelopment of Lingaraj temple, sports infrastructure development and tourism promotion are some of the key areas to have received sizeable allocation in the annual budget for 2022-23 fiscal.
Under ABADHA, projects that aim to transform Puri into a world-class heritage city, the state government has allocated Rs 1,408 crore against Rs 542 crore in the previous budget.
The Ekamra Khetra Amenities and Monuments Revival Action Plan (EKAMRA), under which around 66 acres of land surrounding Lingaraj temple will be developed, was given Rs 200 crore. An equal amount was also earmarked under the Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Economic Initiative (SAMALEI) project in Sambalpur. Both had received the same amount in the previous budget as well.
As part of the state government focus to develop monuments and tourist destinations, an amount of Rs 150 crore has been earmarked for the year 2022-23.
The state government has earmarked Rs 1,874 crore under Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (Kalia) scheme, which has been extended till 2023-24 financial year. More than 51 lakh farmers including around 17 lakh landless agriculture labourers are covered under the scheme. Last year, Rs 1800 crore has been provisioned under Kalia.
In the sports sector, a top focus area of the state government, Rs 411 crore of total allocated amount of Rs 602 crore has been provided for the development and management of sports infrastructure, which is a huge jump from Rs 109 crore allocated in 2021-22.
Major portion of the amount will be spent to develop India’s largest hockey stadium in Rourkela to co-host the 2023 men’s hockey World Cup along with Kalinga Stadium, besides the county’s first indoor athletics track at Kalinga Stadium and for development of 89 multi-purpose indoor stadiums.