Crop insurance row: Bhupinder Hooda seeks probe, compensation

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has raised the issue of alleged irregularities in farmers’ crop insurance claims in Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri districts by writing to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini after receiving a representation from affected farmers.

The farmers alleged that under the 2023 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), their compensation was drastically reduced, leading to losses worth hundreds of crores.

According to them, Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) had estimated claims worth Rs 450 crore, but the yield assessment through HARSAC satellite imagery cut it down by nearly Rs 350 crore.

Citing an RTI reply, they claimed that in Bhiwani district alone, while 62,237 insured farmers were entitled to claims of Rs 310.58 crore, only 25,527 farmers received Rs 95.17 crore — leaving a shortfall of Rs 213.05 crore.

Hooda, in his letter, said farmers told him there was no contract or MoU with the Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department for providing “technical yield” data for 2023-24 and 2024-25.

The farmers also referred to a state government order dated August 29, 2023, mandating that claims under PMFBY be settled on the basis of CCEs, not satellite imagery alone.

Calling it a grave injustice, Hooda alleged: “Around Rs 350 crore of farmers’ rightful claims have been denied through manipulation of data.” He demanded a high-level probe and urged the CM to ensure immediate compensation, stressing that “justice should not be delayed.”

Notably, farmers from both districts have been on dharna since July 16, 2025, demanding fair settlement of claims. They alleged that the State Technical Advisory Committee, in its meeting on August 20, 2024, wrongly rejected the CCE and approved claims on the basis of “technical yield.”