<p>Farmers of two villages in Mudigere taluk who were awaiting to receive insurance amount under the Karnataka Raitha Suraksha Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana were in for a rude shock after they learnt that their money has allegedly been misappropriated by Grama One Centre staff.</p><p>The farmers submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner on Monday seeking his intervention. </p><p>Farmers from villages under the Nandipura and Makonahalli Gram Panchayats in Mudigere Taluk had paid money in July 2024 to register for crop insurance for the 2024–25 season, covering crops like arecanut and pepper at the Grama One Centre. They expected that the insurance amount would be received within a month or two. When the farmers visited the same Grama One centre this year to renew their registration, one of them grew suspicious about the receipt issued and decided to verify it.</p><p>Upon checking, it was found that though the application had been filled in the insurance portal, the process was halted at the payment stage, and a printout was handed out — which farmers mistakenly believed to be the final receipt.</p><p> “When farmers who had made payments last year checked their receipts at home, they realised all documents were in a similar incomplete format.</p><p><strong>Forms not submitted</strong></p><p>After contacting the Horticulture Department regarding their insurance status, we found that most applications were never actually submitted,” said Sandeep, a farmer from Nandipura.</p><p> “There are more than 12 villages under these two Gram Panchayats. The list provided by the Horticulture Department included this Grama One Centre, and all of us had registered through it. Between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 10 lakh of farmers’ money has been swindled. The total expected insurance pay out exceeds Rs 1 crore, which now seems lost to the farmers,” he added.</p><p>“It is said that Grama One staff Vikas has allegedly committed multiple such frauds and has gone missing after the issue came to light. His mobile phone is also switched off. We are submitting complaints to the Deputy Commissioner and SP. We request justice,” said Mallesh, a local resident.</p>
<p>Farmers of two villages in Mudigere taluk who were awaiting to receive insurance amount under the Karnataka Raitha Suraksha Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana were in for a rude shock after they learnt that their money has allegedly been misappropriated by Grama One Centre staff.</p><p>The farmers submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner on Monday seeking his intervention. </p><p>Farmers from villages under the Nandipura and Makonahalli Gram Panchayats in Mudigere Taluk had paid money in July 2024 to register for crop insurance for the 2024–25 season, covering crops like arecanut and pepper at the Grama One Centre. They expected that the insurance amount would be received within a month or two. When the farmers visited the same Grama One centre this year to renew their registration, one of them grew suspicious about the receipt issued and decided to verify it.</p><p>Upon checking, it was found that though the application had been filled in the insurance portal, the process was halted at the payment stage, and a printout was handed out — which farmers mistakenly believed to be the final receipt.</p><p> “When farmers who had made payments last year checked their receipts at home, they realised all documents were in a similar incomplete format.</p><p><strong>Forms not submitted</strong></p><p>After contacting the Horticulture Department regarding their insurance status, we found that most applications were never actually submitted,” said Sandeep, a farmer from Nandipura.</p><p> “There are more than 12 villages under these two Gram Panchayats. The list provided by the Horticulture Department included this Grama One Centre, and all of us had registered through it. Between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 10 lakh of farmers’ money has been swindled. The total expected insurance pay out exceeds Rs 1 crore, which now seems lost to the farmers,” he added.</p><p>“It is said that Grama One staff Vikas has allegedly committed multiple such frauds and has gone missing after the issue came to light. His mobile phone is also switched off. We are submitting complaints to the Deputy Commissioner and SP. We request justice,” said Mallesh, a local resident.</p>
