Bengal aims to bring 60 lakh farmers under crop cover

West Bengal government is hopeful of bringing near to 60 lakh farmers below its flagship agriculture insurance coverage scheme – ‘Bangla Shasya Bima (BSB)’ – through kharif 2020. The scheme, which was launched in 2019, protected near to forty six lakh farmers through the rabi time.

According to Pradip Kumar Mazumder, Main Advisor (Agriculture) to the Main Minister, there are near to sixty eight lakh farmers in the State growing aman (kharif) paddy. The enrolment course of action for kharif 2020 will be open up till September fifteen.

 

Shifting away from PMFBY

West Bengal was one particular of the main States to go away from PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) in 2018 as most of its farmers had been unable to upload their purposes. The enrolment windows had been “choked” and inspite of recurring requests, the Centre did not give more time. Moreover, in view of the reduce claims than the top quality paid below PMFBY, the State government determined to start its have scheme in 2019 along with Agriculture Insurance plan Firm of India Ltd. Below the scheme, the overall top quality is borne by the State government.

According to resources, the government is estimated to have put in near to ₹450 crore for the clean running of the scheme and has brought extra than 21 lakh hectares of cultivable land below the scheme, covering crops such as aman paddy, aus paddy, jute and maize.

“In 2019 rabi (winter season) time, we protected near to forty six lakh farmers. Now in 2020, with the kind of limits that are in area owing to pandemic and owing to social distancing and other precautions we are steering clear of any congregation of farmers to the extent possible. We are automobile migrating those people forty six lakh farmers of rabi crop with the solution of changing the crop and region for aman paddy. This apart, we are making an attempt to insert all those people farmers who are below our Krishak Bondhu scheme and are also undertaking publicity activity. We will make it possible for enrolment of farmers till September fifteen, so it is ongoing. We count on the numbers need to absolutely exceed 55-60 lakh,” Mazumder informed BusinessLine.

 

To go over lessee farmers

The scheme is applicable for oral lessee, share-croppers and other smaller and marginal farmers as the State feels that the insurance coverage need to be designed out there for the crop as a whole.

“The insurance coverage is for the crop and not the man or woman. So if a man or woman is not proudly owning the plot but is a authentic man or woman who is farming the plot then if there is any loss then the compensation will accrue to him. We are not insisting on ROR (document of legal rights),” he reported.

 

Speed up declare settlement

Meanwhile, with a view to velocity up the course of action of declare settlement for farmers, the State government designs to use the technologies-driven info assortment process of ISRO to validate and assess the quantum of destruction caused to crops owing to severe weather conditions. The State government designs to employ the distant sensing satellite info-acquisition technologies to gauge the hurt caused to the crops, if any, through the kharif time.

Inadequate protection

Avik Saha, Nationwide Convenor, Jai Kisan Andolan, reported, “As for each government estimates forty six lakh farmers have been protected below the scheme so significantly and near to 21 lakh hectares of cultivable land has been brought below the scheme. Having said that, this appears to be a bit inflated specified the fact that a the greater part of farmers in the State are smaller and marginal farmers with an common keeping of about .77 hectares. So if forty six lakh farmers (as has been claimed) had been protected below the scheme then the whole region below protection need to have been a lot bigger. This alone lays bare the declare of the State government.”

Moreover, the State’s scheme addresses only paddy, maize and jute although other crops such as greens, wheat etcetera are left exterior the purview of the scheme, he added.

Cyclone Amphan

The modern cyclone Amphan, which strike the State in May, had caused a big hurt to crops such as paddy, sesame and greens. It had also wrecked the mango orchards and betel vegetation. Consequently, insurance coverage protection for farmers become critical to compensate from losses arising out of such catastrophic situations.

According to reports, the State government allotted ₹300 crore, at the fee of ₹1,five hundred every single for 20 lakh farmers. A different ₹200 crore was allotted for betel-leaf farmers.