Andhra CM Jaganmohan launches 'YSR Free Crop Insurance scheme' for farmers

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy has launched the ‘YSR Free Crop Insurance’ scheme for the benefit of farmers in the state.

Simultaneous with the launch on Tuesday, Rs 1,252 crore was credited into the bank accounts of 9.48 lakh farmers who have lost their crops during 2019.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that his government took the responsibility of supporting the farmers in their difficult times.

“We have brought the free crop insurance scheme, without levying any burden of premium on the farmers. Whereas during the previous (Chandrababu Naidu) government, farmers had to pay their share, besides the contribution of the state and central governments in the premium amount,” Reddy said pointing that the premium amount was discouraging the farmers from enrolling under the scheme.

“However, neither the state nor the central governments used to doggedly pursue the crop insurance claims and farmers were receiving the amount very late or losing it altogether. To resolve this, our government has decided to process the claims in a fast-track mode,” the CM said.

“From 2016-19, the previous government had spent on an average Rs 393 crore per annum towards the insurance premium, while the farmers had paid about Rs 290 crore. And only about 20 lakh farmers were enrolled for insurance coverage during the TDP regime.”

“Now, 49.80 lakh farmers are under the insurance cover, and the state government is paying Rs 971 crore towards the premium in 2019-20,” the chief minister said adding that 45.96 lakh hectares of cropland are brought under insurance.

Crop loss compensation for 2020 will be paid in April 2021, after the Planning Department submits its report. The state is also purchasing germinated and decoloured grains at a graded MSP to ensure that no farmer suffers financially, the CM said.

Reddy said that the recent Nivar cyclone caused crop loss enumeration is completed, and the compensation would be paid by December 31.

Chief Minister Reddy said that 10,641 Rythu Bharosa Kendrams are set up, integrated with village secretariats to support the farmers. The government has initiated e-cropping, where details of all crops are uploaded in a database, including the crop loss numbers. All this information, crop loss compensations would be displayed at the RBKs for social audit.