1.17 crore farmers enrolled under PM crop insurance scheme: Haryana Agriculture Minister

Nearly 1.17 crore farmers across the state have enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and compensation worth Rs 9,099 crore has been distributed to the growers so far. This was stated by Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana on Wednesday.

He was addressing farmers at a state-level event of the “Meri Policy, Mere Haath” campaign under PMFBY, organised by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in Kurukshetra.

The minister said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, farmers’ incomes had been doubled, and financial assistance was now being directly transferred into their bank accounts to ensure transparency and convenience.

Highlighting the importance of the campaign, he said the objective of the campaign was to ensure that every insured farmer received a copy of his crop insurance policy directly in hand, so that he was fully aware of the coverage, benefits and terms of the scheme. For this, officials and staff had been directed to visit villages and personally hand over the policies to each farmer.

Rana further said continuous efforts were being made to improve the scheme based on farmers’ feedback. He urged farmers to adopt natural farming, avoid burning crop residue and stay away from spurious seeds and pesticides. “Those found selling or using fake seeds face strict penalties, including up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh,” he said.

During the event, around 50 farmers were handed over their insurance policies as part of the campaign. Department officials, including Joint Director Rajiv Kumar Mishra and Deputy Director Karm Chand, also addressed the gathering, highlighting various welfare schemes and encouraging farmers to adopt new technologies to enhance productivity.