In case of crop loss due to natural disasters, such as drought, farmers should enrol for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) instead of depending on the input subsidy, said Deputy Commissioner D Randeep.
Addressing a media conference, after holding a meeting with Agriculture and Horticulture department officials, at his office, here, on Monday, he said, the input subsidy is meagre when compared to the expenses incurred by the farmers to cultivate the crops, so the only solution to recover the costs, in case of crop loss, is to get insurance claims.
He said, for Mysuru district, 17 agricultural crops and six horticulture crops have been shortlisted for coverage under PMFBY. Appealing to the farmers to enrol for the insurance even though they have not received the claims last year, he said, Rs 6,800 per hectare granted for rain-fed fields, Rs 37,000 for irrigated lands and up to Rs 16,000 for horticulture crops as compensation does not cover the costs incurred by the farmers.
“PMFBY is compulsory for farmers who avail crop loans from banks. The premium is deducted from their bank accounts. Other farmers too should enrol in the banks of their area. Some facilitation centres are also being opened in the rural areas for the convenience of the farmers. Last year, over eight crore claims of farmers for insurance has been made for a total amount of Rs 8.70 crore. There were some lapses in nearly two crore claims. However, Rs 2.35 crore has been settled so far. The claims of the rest of the farmers will be settled shortly. So, farmers should not think that it is of no use to pay the premium this year, as they have not received the claims of last year,” he said.
For some crops, the deadline for paying the premium is over. For some others, the deadline is approaching, so the officials have been directed to create awareness among the farmers about the insurance, he added.
Pointing out that 80 suicide of farmers was reported in the last fiscal (2016-17), Randeep said, families of 54 victims have received Rs 5 lakh compensation each, claims of 18 families have been dismissed and the process in under progress for eight claims. “This year, since April 1 to June 11, 2017, 11 suicide of farmers has been reported. Two families have already received the compensation of Rs 5 lakh each. The rest of the claims will be considered before July 15,” he said.
Speaking about the payment of compensation for crop loss, the DC said, Rs 45.83 crore has been paid to 89,491 farmers for the loss of kharif crop last year. “For the rabi crop this year, details are being entered online and a total compensation of Rs 16 crore is expected,” he added.
He said, both the Agriculture and the Horticulture departments are ready to tackle any situation this year. “The officials have listed out alternative crops, if the rains fail in either July or August, the main sowing season. The necessary seeds and fertilisers have also been stocked adequately. Besides Raitha Seva Kendras, Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies have also been equipped to distribute the seeds,” the deputy commissioner added.
Published 10 July 2017, 18:59 IST