Maharashtra Farmers Disqualified from Insurance Scheme over Data Discrepancies

The agriculture department in Maharashtra seeks to disqualify over 3,500 farmers for allegedly providing false data to gain more crop insurance than entitled. Inspections revealed discrepancies, including claims of non-existent crops and exaggerated land ownership, prompting a request for disqualification from the scheme.

The agriculture department in Maharashtra has moved to disqualify more than 3,500 farmers in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar from participating in a crop insurance scheme, following allegations of data manipulation.

Officials from the department uncovered a range of discrepancies during an inspection, including claims for horticulture crops that weren't actually grown and misrepresented land ownership. The crop insurance scheme is designed to support farmers against potential financial losses due to adverse weather, but the current irregularities undermine its integrity.

In one incident, officials discovered that 1,098 farmers claimed fruit crops on 805.48 hectares of land where none were grown. Additionally, nearly 2,500 farmers reported ownership of 428 hectares not in their possession. Similar fraudulent claims were found concerning the onion crop in the kharif season. The department has forwarded these cases for disqualification.

(With inputs from agencies.)