Team Herald
PANJIM: With Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s ambitious ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)’ getting poor response in Goa, the State Government has set up State Level Grievance Redressal Committee to address the problems faced by the farmers under the scheme.
The crop insurance scheme that was launched for the benefit of farmers in 2016, has seen just 4 % of the farmers in Goa opting for the scheme. In all 1635 farmers of the 35,000 registered, have been insured under the scheme. An area of 1216.26 ha has been covered under the scheme so far.
PMFBY is an actuarial premium-based scheme under which the farmer has to pay a maximum premium of 2 percent for the kharif crop, 1.5 percent for the rabi food and oilseed crops and 5 percent for annual commercial/horticultural crops and remaining part of the actuarial/bidded premium is shared equally by the Centre and State governments.
To overcome the problems faced by farmers resulting in lack of response to the scheme, Government has constituted State Level Grievance Redressal Committee under Principal Secretary Agriculture.
The committee will act as authority for redressal of grievance of farmers, Banks, insurance company, district authority/department. The committee will dispose the grievance within 15 days time of receipt of the same.
As per information available, for the 2016 kharif season, 744 farmers benefited under the scheme, covering a total area of 543 ha and the sum assured was Rs 576.44 lakh. For 2017 kharif season, 744 farmers were covered with the total sum assured being Rs 446.12 lakh.
As on date, 129 sugarcane farmers have benefited under the scheme and the compensation of Rs 2.95 lakh has been paid due to loss of crops during the kharif season 2016 and 2017.
“Probably due to the growing misconception about the scheme that it benefits the insurance companies and not the farmers; the scheme is receiving poor response,” an official said.
“Another reason could be that in Goa you don’t see destruction of agriculture due to natural calamities like drought and flooding,” he stated and added, “PMFBY provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop thus helping in stabilising the income of the farmers.”
It is learnt that on a trial basis, the scheme, now also looks into the loss of crop due to destruction by wild animals, which is a major problem in Goa.
For Goa, the subsidy is released to implementing agencies regularly through Agriculture Insurance Company, Mumbai.
