Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said the Interim Union Budget for 2019-20 is deeply disappointing on some pointers, rating the pre-election Budget 2.5 on a scale of 10.Though Patnaik hailed the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN), he felt the Budgetary announcement did not better his government's KALIA or Krushak Assistance for Livelihoods & Income Augmentation scheme."I welcome the direct benefit transfer proposed for small and marginal farmers on lines of our KALIA scheme. However, it would have benefited the farmers more if the quantum of assistance is equal or more than our KALIA scheme which is Rs 10,000 per year. Also, there is nothing for landless poor, share croppers and farmers in distress", the chief minister said in his reaction to the interim budget.Patnaik vented his deep disappointment with the National Social Security Scheme, pointing out that components like old age pension and other pensions have not been revised at all. "The state is ...
