Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 6: The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) has been costing heavy to the farmers, who have to pay more than double the amount paid for insurance last year for maize, whereas to provide insurance cover, the Insurance Companies as well as Banks have been utilizing the services of employees of Agriculture Production department, evoking strong resentment.
Sources in the Agriculture Production department informed Early Times that under Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojna, the insurance amount taken by Insurance companies from the farmers has been increased from Rs. 35 per Kanal to Rs. 80 per Kanal for Maize crop in all districts of Jammu province.
"The Agriculture Production department has to give "Sowing certificate of farmers' crop", to the insurance companies, which in turn have to fill insurance forms and complete other formalities", sources said, alleging that but these Insurance companies or the Banks have not engaged any employee to fill up the forms from the farmers but the employees of Agriculture department have been doing all these works.
The Insurance Companies are reportedly hand in glove with some higher officials of department, who have assured the companies to get their work done from the Agriculture department employees, evoking strong resentment among employees.
Sources further disclosed that the Banks, which have issued Kissan Credit Cards to farmers, have been deducting insurance amount from the farmers' bank accounts without any verification from the farmers.
Questioning the technicality in the guidelines, sources said that when the farmers have to fill insurance forms, they were assured that even if the crop of one farmer would be damaged, insurance money would be paid. "But when comes to pay the insurance money, the insurance companies asked that the money would only be paid if the crop was damaged in one complete block", sources rued, adding that last year in Devak Block of Sunderbani, the maize crop had been destroyed.
"The Agriculture department had submitted the damage report and had recommended for "Kharaba", but so far no insurance money has been paid to any of the victim farmer", sources alleged, adding that the PMFBY has become a burden on the farmers.
Refuting the allegations, Deputy Mission Director PMFBY, KK Sharma said there is difference between Health Insurance and Crop Insurance. The Health Insurance cover is between the Company and the person as it is on individual basis, whereas the Crop Insurance is area specific.
In the PMFBY scheme, the Insurance Companies are Service Providers while Banks deduct premium on behalf of the Insurance Companies, whereas the Implementation of the scheme is the whole responsibility of the department and its employees have to do all the works related to farmers including filling of forms, furnishing sowing area etc, Sharma said, adding that in districts Chairman of the Scheme is Deputy Commissioner, whereas Chief Agriculture Officer is Member Secretary.
On the question of enhancement of premium from Rs. 35 to 80 per Kanal, he said that actually the loaning was Rs 35,000/acre but it was treated as Rs. 35,000 per hectare, resulting into an area discrepancy. "Even the loans given by banks has been given on Rs. 35,000/acre basis and it amounts to be Rs. 80 per Kanal", Sharma said.
Over the question of non-payment of insurance money in Sunderbani area, Sharma said that the damage was caused by winds and as per guidelines of the Scheme, the damage must be in 25 percent area, due to which the insurance money was not paid to few farmers. |
