Farmers struggle to get relief for crop loss

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Jhajjar, October 27

Even after three months of implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), the Centre and the state government have not paid their share of premium to ICICI Lombard Insurance company. The non-payment of the premium has resulted in an inordinate delay in releasing compensation to affected farmers in the district.

Sources said the insurance company had received a total premium of Rs 3.43 crore from 22,302 farmers, including 22,142 loanees, in the district for kharif crops, but both the governments had not deposited their share of a total premium of Rs 4.46 crore to the company for ensuring the benefit of the PMFBY to the affected farmers.

“A premium of Rs 3,591 and Rs 3,125 per hectare was fixed for cotton and paddy crop, respectively in the district. Of these, the farmers’ share was Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,250 per hectare for the crops, respectively, while the remaining premium was to be paid by the Centre and the state government equally,” the sources said, adding that in all, the premium of Rs 3.60 crore for paddy and Rs 86 lakh for cotton was to be paid by the governments.

As per Agriculture Department, around 600 complaints of crop damage have so far been received in the district and survey had been conducted on 450 complaints to assess the loss.

Seema Jadhav, Head of Corporate Communication Cell of ICICI Lombard Insurance, confirmed that not a single penny of premium had so far been received from the Centre and the state government, which was a major reason behind the delay in releasing the compensation.

Notably, farmers of Khanpur Khurd village have been struggling to get compensation under the PMFBY even after two-and-a-half months, but according to the scheme, the compensation has to be provided to the farmers within a month.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) RC Bidhan said the payment of premium for the scheme pertained to the state authority and he could not say anything in this respect, but officials of the insurance company were linking two separate issues in this matter.

“The officials have been directed to start releasing compensation to the affected farmers within a fortnight,” he added.

Company  received premium of Rs 3.43 cr

Sources said the insurance company had received a premium of Rs 3.43 crore from 22,302 farmers, including 22,142 loanees, in the district for kharif crops, but both the governments had not deposited their share of a total premium of Rs 4.46 crore to the company for ensuring the benefit of the PMFBY to the affected farmers.