HARSAC to verify cotton area in 72 villages to settle dispute over claims

Hisar, January 20

The Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC) has been asked to verify the area of cotton crop in 2022 in 72 villages of the district on the basis of satellite images to resolve the issue of pending insurance claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY).

Data mismatch on MFMB portal

• 20,000 farmers have demanded an insurance claim worth Rs 146 crorefor cotton crop loss in kharif 2022
• MFMB data showed 30,873 hectare insured under the PMFBY, but the Revenue Department verified that the crop was over 16,554 hectare
• Insurance firm had withheld payment after data mismatch on MFMB portal

The State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) recently took this decision.

“HARSAC data can be relied upon. The process has started and the insurance firm will soon release the claims on the basis of the area in specific villages,” a senior official of the Agriculture Department said.

The farmers of these villages, who are sitting on a dharna at the Mini Secretariat here, have threatened to start a morcha under the banner of the Pagri Sambhal Jatta from January 26, if the issue was not resolved. Anil Gorchi, a farmer activist, said the claims of 20,000 farmers, worth about Rs 146 crore, had been pending for cotton crop damage in 2022.

The insurance firm, however, got alerted after a mismatch of data on the MFMB portal and the Revenue Department’s report on the area under cotton crop in these villages. An official said the department had verified that 72 villages had cotton crop over 16,554 hectare and confirmed crop damage following pink bollworm attack and other factors.

The firm, however, revealed that the farmers in those villages had got cotton crop over 30,873 hectare insured under the PMFBY. It refused to release payment as it would have to do so for additional 14,319 hectare. The firm released claims worth Rs 396 crore to farmers in areas other than the 72 villages and offered Rs 60 crore for the 72 villages, as per the Revenue Department record.

Gorchi argued that the firm could have raised the issue within the deadline. “Had there been no damage, the firm would have earned profits on account of the premium of the 14,319 hectare.”

An official said it was a matter of multiple insurance for the same area of crop.