Kolkata, September 19 (Daily Kiran) : Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Saturday that West Bengal has achieved the second highest number of registrations under the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme. This initiative has reportedly covered 3.2 million farmers across the state.
In a statement shared on social media, Adhikari emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting farmers, especially in light of recent floods and natural disasters. He noted that a significant portion of the insurance premium is being subsidized by the state government to alleviate the financial burden on farmers.
The Chief Minister instructed insurance companies to promptly assess the losses faced by farmers affected by the floods in August, ensuring they receive compensation without delay. He provided district-wise registration figures, revealing that as of September 15, a substantial number of farmers in flood-affected areas had registered for the scheme. Specifically, 723,000 farmers from East Midnapore, 473,000 from West Midnapore, 168,000 from Hooghly, and 42,000 from Jhargram have enrolled. Special camps were organized at the village level from August to September 15 to facilitate this process.
Adhikari further explained that most of the insurance premium costs are covered by the state government. Farmers with land up to one hectare or 2.5 acres will only need to pay a symbolic fee of just one rupee. For those with land between one to two hectares, the cost will be 100 rupees per acre, with the state covering the remaining premium.
Additionally, he urged insurance companies to swiftly conduct a ‘mid-season adversity’ assessment for farmers impacted by the August floods to expedite compensation. The deadline for registrations of farmers taking loans through banks has also been extended to September 30.
In his social media post, Adhikari criticized the previous Trinamool Congress government, led by Mamata Banerjee, for not implementing the PM Crop Insurance Scheme. He stated that the previous administration had halted farmer registrations in 2019-20, leaving farmers without adequate insurance protection for an extended period. However, he highlighted that under the current BJP government, the scheme has been reinstated, prioritizing the interests of farmers, and the initial phase of registration has seen an overwhelming response.
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