Crop insurance claims for Rs 138.9 crores for both medium and long term crops in the State will be settled in about a week’s time, Agriculture Minister Bandeppa Kashempur said.
Speaking to media persons in Bangalore on Tuesday, Mr Kashempur said the department had already written to the Finance Department to release the State’s share of Rs 59.62 crore towards the crop insurance.
“The Centre will release equal amount of money, that is, Rs 59.62 crore, and the remaining Rs 34.84 crore will be provided by the insurance companies. It’s the first time in the State’s history that the insurance claims will be settled so early,” the Minister claimed .
About 2.01 lakh farmers would be benefited by the decision and Gulbarga district, which gets Rs 83.19 crore, would pocket the lion’s share.
Tur dal, ground nut, paddy and maize are the major crops for which the insurance amount would be paid.
The Minister made it clear that already Rs. 10.80 crore had been released towards the crop insurance claims for short duration crops.
Mr Kashempur said even though the insurance claims would be settled early, he was still not be happy with the policy being followed for insuring the crops. “I want to make the insurance policy very effective so that farmers, like victims of road or rail accidents, get the insured amount within a few days of the mishap,” he observed. The matter has already been raised with the Centre .
Till June 30, kharif sowing had taken place in 21.51 lakh hectare in the State as against the target of 73.95 lakh hectare. The coverage was only 29 per cent of the target. During the same period in the last year, sowing had taken place in 25.15 lakh hectare. “Now that good rains have been received in many parts,  I am confident that we will reach the target,” he said.