Haryana govt to bear insurance premium of farmers sowing alternative crops in state

Sanjeev Kaushal, additional chief secretary (agriculture and farmers' welfare department), on Tuesday said that following the revamp of the central government's crop insurance scheme, farmers would have to pay 2 per cent of the sum insured for kharif, 1.5 per cent of sum insured for rabi, and 5 per cent for cotton, which is a commercial and annual crop. "However, farmers who opt to cultivate alternative crops, including cotton, under the state's crop diversification scheme would not have to pay any insurance premium on such crops," Kaushal said, as per a state government release.

The Haryana government will bear crop insurance premium of the farmers who opt to cultivate alternative crops, including cotton, under the state's crop diversification scheme. Sanjeev Kaushal, additional chief secretary (agriculture and farmers' welfare department), on Tuesday said that following the revamp of the central government's crop insurance scheme, farmers would have to pay 2 per cent of the sum insured for kharif, 1.5 per cent of sum insured for rabi, and 5 per cent for cotton, which is a commercial and annual crop.

"However, farmers who opt to cultivate alternative crops, including cotton, under the state's crop diversification scheme would not have to pay any insurance premium on such crops," Kaushal said, as per a state government release. He added that the state government would also bear 100 per cent of the premium share of maize crop in eight blocks of five districts.

He also said the cotton growers in Haryana who have enrolled under both the central government's crop insurance scheme – Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana – and the state government's crop diversification scheme – Mera Pani-Meri Virasat – need not worry about any increase in premium rates as the state government will bear complete cost of insuring alternative crops. Kaushal said farmers in the state have received more money in claims than the premium paid collectively by them under the crop insurance in the past three years.

Between kharif 2016 and rabi 2018-19, farmers received Rs 2,097.93 crore in claims as compared with Rs 1,672.03 crore paid as premium, he said. As many as 49,78,226 farmers in the state were covered under the scheme between kharif 2016 and kharif 2019.

Allaying the fears of farmers, he said the changes made to the crop insurance scheme earlier this year would prove to be beneficial to them, as the scheme has been made voluntary for farmers with crop loans as well. He said that when the scheme was launched in Haryana in 2016, kharif crops including paddy, bajra, maize and cotton, and rabi crops namely wheat, mustard, gram and barley were covered. Sunflower was also covered under the scheme from rabi 2018-19 onwards.