Chandigarh: With farmers facing heavy losses on account of crop damaged by freak weather conditions, the Haryana government on Friday announced bringing all growers under insurance scheme by setting up an Insurance Corporation.
This is aimed at ensuring proper compensation for their crop loss due to adverse weather conditions.
"We have plans to set up Insurance Corporation on Public Private Partnership mode so as to bring all farmers under this fold whereby affected growers could get compensation for their crop loss," Haryana Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar said here today while addressing 'Meet-the-Press' programme.
Dhankar said that the state government was in the process of identifying suitable insurance companies for entering into a tie-up to undertake crop insurance activity in the state.
"We are studying various crop insurance polices in order to provide maximum relief to farmers for the loss suffered due to inclement weather conditions," he said.
To a query, Dhankar said that farmers, who had taken insurance cover against existing weather based crop insurance schemes operated by other companies were not getting adequate compensation for crop loss.
He further said that farmers were also not "much impressed" with insurance coverage provided by such companies.
Notably, in a recent meeting of State Level Bankers' Committee here, an official of Agriculture Insurance Company Of India Ltd had pointed out that Haryana government did not issue notification for the implementation of crop insurance schemes for Kharif and Rabi seasons 2014-15.
Agriculture Insurance Company Of India Ltd implements three crop insurance schemes-- National Agricultural Insurance Scheme, Modified National Agriculture Insurance Scheme and Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme.
In these schemes, farmers are charged in the range of 1.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent of scale financing from farmers as premium while 5 per cent each is contributed by state and Centre.
The Haryana government had projected loss in wheat crop over 18 lakh hectares out of total sown area of 25 lakh hectares because of rain and hailstorm and had sought compensation of Rs 1,136 crore from Centre.
With rains again adding to the miseries of farmers, Haryana government has extended special girdawari by 5 days from April 15 in order to assess crop loss due to untimely rains and hailstorm.
"We will give compensation to affected growers within one month," he asserted adding that the minimum compensation would not be less than Rs 500.
Among other relief measures, Dhankar said that the crop loan for affected farmers would be at zero per cent rate of interest for six months.
Asked about implementation of Swaminathan Commission report, Dhankar said that the government was positive about its implementation.
"The Haryana government has suggested CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices) to implement the suggestion of Swaminathan Commission step by step. With MSP includes on an average 20 per cent profit, we said report may be implemented by giving 10 per cent in phased manner," he said.
The Swaminathan Commission recommended 50 per cent profit over and above MSP to farmers.
"An informal meeting was also held in connection with it in which very senior BJP leaders were present," he said adding that the government would implement it.
On the issue of alleged suicides committed by a few distressed farmers in Haryana whose crop got damaged due to adverse weather conditions, Dhankar said that farmers in Haryana were not that weak to commit suicide.
"Haryana farmers are not weak to commit suicide. Moreover, it is also a crime. Weakness is not a sign of Haryana farmer," he said.
Asked about water issue with Delhi, Dhankar, who also Irrigation portfolio, accused Delhi of releasing polluted water through Jawaharlal Nehru canal via Okhla barrage to its three districts -Mewat, Palwal and Faridabad.
"The issue is that our three districts are being supplied polluted water which is dangerous and not fit for farming by Delhi. We even took up this matter with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Union Minister Uma Bharti. We want before releasing water, it should be properly treated," he said.
He further said that Haryana government had also sought Rs 1,000 crore for setting up Mewat feeder canal to ensure clean water to these three districts.
To a query, Dhankar, who is a first-time MLA from Badli assembly constituency, said that Delhi was being supplied water as per their share.
Asked about taking action in case of alleged irregularities in Haryana State Warehousing Corporation, the minister said that the state government was committed to probe such irregularities through appropriate agencies.
"There was no pressure on the state government from any quarter in this regard," he said.
He further said that the state government was also committed to get its due share of water in SYL canal.
