Funds allocated for crop insurance scheme

BENGALURU: The Karnataka cabinet on Friday approved the allocation of Rs 546.21 crores as its share of the premium for the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana for the year 2019-20. To fix the issue of inaccurate agriculture data including size and preference of crop across the state, the cabinet also approved a survey of the farming sector at a cost of Rs 90 crore.

“There is no accurate data on what crops are being grown in by farmers and the lack of this information has been posing challenges while seeking relief for drought or floods from the centre. A mobile app has been developed to get actual data,” said Krishna Byregowda, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj.

The exercise will help find out what crops are being grown in 2.20 crore plots across the state. Youth with a minimum qualification of SSLC will be paid Rs 10 per survey and instructed to carry out at least 50 surveys per day in this first-of-its-kind survey. 

Budget session of the Karnataka legislative assembly, the minister said, will begin on July 12 and conclude on 26. Other decisions of the cabinet include setting up additional DNB centres in district and taluk hospitals in the year 2020-21.