With banks and Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) witnessing a rush as cyclone-hit farmers scramble to pay the premium for crop insurance, farmers’ organisations have called for an extension of the deadline for making the payment.
Ahead of the November 30 deadline, many farmers have been queuing to pay the premium to get their samba/thaladi paddy crops insured under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
While farmers who have taken crop loans are automatically covered under the scheme, those who haven’t need to pay the subsidised premium of ₹442.50 an acre to get their crops insured.
Wary of taking chances in the aftermath of Cyclone Gaja, farmers have been making a beeline outside PACS to pay the premium. With crops having sustained damage of varying degrees in the affected areas, many farmers harbour fears about their yield.
Sowing certificate
“Most small and marginal farmers have not insured their crops yet. Coconut growers too haven’t insured their crops. In view of the cyclone, the deadline for payment of premium should be extended as a special case,” said Mannargudi S. Ranganathan, general secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Welfare Association.
The State government has empowered Assistant Agricultural Officers (AAOs) to issue ‘sowing certificates’ to farmers as Village Administrative Officers (VAOs), who normally issue them, are busy with relief and restoration work.
But some farmers say there are practical difficulties in getting the certificate, which is essential to get crops insured. “The land records are with the VAOs. The AAOs do not know the survey numbers of the land.
Besides, an AAO has jurisdiction over seven or eight villages, and hence, farmers are facing difficulties in getting the certificates. Therefore, the deadline for payment of premium should be extended,”said Arupathi Kalyanam, general secretary, Federation of Farmers’ Associations of Delta Districts.
To resolve the problem, VAOs should continue to issue the certificates, even if it meant additional workload for them, and the deadline for premium payment should be extended by at least 15 days, said ‘Cauvery’ Dhanapalan, president, Cauvery Farmers’ Protection Association.
Mr. Kalyanam demanded that the government come forward to bear the cost of crop insurance premiums, as the cyclone had placed farmers under severe financial constraint.