Haryana govt makes PMFBY voluntary for farmers

Chandigarh [India], July 24 : The Haryana government has announced that getting insurance of crops under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in the state will now depend entirely on farmers' wish, an official release said.
The government has now decided to make the scheme completely voluntary for the convenience of the farmers and a notification has also been issued in this regard.
"Now farmers having Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) can also give a self-declaration in their bank saying that he does not need crop insurance. However, the farmer is required to give this declaration seven days before the last date. Besides this, farmers who want to change their crops in the crop insurance can also give an application in the respective banks two-day before the last date," a spokesperson of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department said.
The spokesperson informed that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana for Kharif has been implemented since 2016-17 to protect crops from natural disaster and risk.
"The State Government has now notified the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana from Kharif 2020 to Rabi 2022-23. Farmers, who have taken crop loan through the bank and do not want to enroll for this scheme, will have to submit a declaration in the bank," the spokesperson said.
He informed that farmer has to submit a declaration to opt-out of a crop insurance scheme to the concerned bank manager before July 24, 2020.
"Besides this, farmers who do not have a Kisan Credit Card can also get their crops insured with the necessary documents through Common Services Centre or bank. To get the insurance, farmers will have to submit a copy of land proof, Aadhaar card, bank copy, land rent agreement, photograph and crop sowing certificate," he said.
The spokesperson said that three types of risks are covered under this scheme.
"Firstly, the losses caused due to disease, drought, flood, waterlogging and storm in the standing crop are covered on the basis of yield. Under this, harvesting is used in every village for the insured crop. Secondly, if there is loss caused by a hailstorm, water-logging, cyclonic rain or non-seasonal rain up to 14 days after harvesting then compensation is given for the loss at the individual level after conducting a survey," he said.
The spokesperson said that thirdly, for the damage caused by hailstorm, waterlogging, cloudburst and sky lightening which occurs 15 days before harvesting of the crop, under local calamities, a crop survey is done by the notified committee after the information of the damage is given within 72 hours to the committee.
"Block Agricultural Officer, Agricultural Development Officer, company representative are included in the committee and survey is done in the presence of the farmer himself. In this, mainly the loss percentage and the cause of loss are mentioned," he said.