Natural calamities : Ryots to get 25 pc immediate relief on crop insurance

Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy on Thursday stated the government has decided to pay 25 percent of crop insurance amount for the farmers as immediate relief, who suffer loss due to natural calamities.

Talking to media persons at the Secretariat, Mr Raghuveera Reddy said the Centrally sponsored Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS) would protect the farmers against losses incurred due to crop failure on account of natural calamities.

He said the insurance scheme, which covers all natural calamities and farmer-friendly, was implemented in three districts –Nellore, Prakasam and Warangal as a pilot basis for Rabi season.

Based on the response from the farmers, the scheme would be extended to other districts during Kharif season, Mr Raghuveera Reddy pointed out.

Loanee farmers will be insured under ‘compulsory category’ while non-loanee farmers will be insured under ‘voluntary category’, the Minister stated.

“With the introduction of the modified scheme, it is expected that an increased number of farmers will be able to manage risk in agriculture production in a better way and will succeed in stabilising farm income particularly at the times of crop failure on account of natural calamities,” the Agriculture Minister said.

He said the implementation of the scheme would be reviewed once in two years for rectification of deficiencies.

During Telugu Desam Party tenure, the government had paid Rs 600 crore as crop insurance for nine years. However, the Congress Government has paid Rs 2,700 crore as crop insurance for six years, Mr Raghuveera Reddy pointed out.

He said the Congress government was farmer-friendly and adopts welfare schemes for the benefit of farmers.