Farmers demand pending crop loss compensation

Rohtak, June 10

Farmers of Rohtak district have demanded their due crop-loss compensation and pending insurance claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) immediately.

Insurance claims also due

Kisan Sabha general secretary Sumit Dalal said the grant of compensation to farmers for crop failure was due for the past three years, adding that the farmers’ claims under the crop insurance scheme were also pending

A delegation of Rohtak farmers met local Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar on Monday and submitted a memorandum of their demands to him.

The main demands of the farmers include the grant of compensation for rabi-2024 wheat crop that was damaged due to hailstorm this year, release of the outstanding compensation for rabi-2022 crops, grant of relief for rabi-2023 crops damaged by hailstorm, settlement of outstanding crop insurance claims, grant of compensation for the wheat crop destroyed by fire last year and this year and provision of incentive to the Rohtak farmers who had planted crops by DSR method.

Balwan Singh, district secretary of the All-India Kisan Sabha, said the Deputy Commissioner had assured them of getting their concerns addressed. “However, we will be forced to launch an indefinite stir if our demands are still not met,” said the farmers’ leader.

Kisan Sabha general secretary Sumit Dalal pointed out that the grant of compensation to the farmers for crop failure was due for the past three years, adding that the farmers’ claims under the crop insurance scheme were also pending.

“Thousands of farmers of Rohtak district are in financial distress due to the non-resolution of these two issues. This year too, the wheat crop was destroyed in dozens of villages due to hailstorm. Despite lodging complaints on the compensation portal, the affected farmers are yet to get compensation,” he lamented.

The Kisan Sabha leader said the state government was harassing the farmers instead of helping them, and the hapless farmers are being forced to make rounds of government offices.