Jaipur, June 08: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today announced his government was determined to implement crop insurance scheme after working out its modalities with the Central government. The government would pay input subsidy worth Rs.155.68 crores to small marginal farmers before onset of monsoon rains. It has also been decided to introduce crop insurance on certain crops like bajra, sorghum, and maize, the modalities of which would be worked out in consultation with the Central government’s Indian Agriculture Insurance Company (IAIC) for its start, Gehlot told a press conference here. Despite Rajasthan's demand to the Centre to provide 80 per cent grant for crop insurance on account of recurring famine and different geographical situation, the NDA government had not taken any decision in this regard, Gehlot said.
Rajasthan was constantly raising this demand at the National Development Council (NDC) and inter-state council meetings to raise the Central share but on political merits it was of no avail, the chief minister said. On input subsidy to farmers, the Centre had sanctioned a sum of Rs. 155.68 crores as against an assessment of Rs. 768 crore by the agriculture ministry, but the remaining amount was yet to be sanctioned and released, he said.
Hence the state government would make payment of Rs.155.68 crores as input subsidy to small and marginal farmers before the arrival of monsoon rains in the state, he said.
Bureau Report