The Maharashtra government will put in place a framework to resolve all complaints related to non-payment of insurance claims to farmers. The Cabinet on Tuesday reviewed the financial situation of private insurance companies and their pending claims following the announcement by ally Shiv Sena to protest against them. Senior ministers said a payment of more than ₹15,000 crore has been made to farmers who have paid over ₹2,300 crore in premiums in the past four years.
“During the the previous government’s tenure, the compensation amount never exceeded ₹300 crore a year. But the expenditure of companies this year alone is over ₹3,200 crore,” said a senior minister the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena government.
Confirming that the Cabinet reviewed the insurance scheme and held a presentation, new State BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said the party had no problem with the Sena’s stand. “The companies will only pay farmers who have suffered losses. We understand the Sena’s stand and are fine even if our own party workers will hold a protest. If by holding protests the issue can be resolved, then everyone is more than welcome to do so,” he said.
Earlier, the government set up a 10-member committee to scrutinise complaints from farmers and public representatives against the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, a government-sponsored crop insurance scheme, at the taluka level. “The government has been receiving a slew of complaints from villages and districts. We have set up the committee, headed by the local tehsildar, among nine other members, to look into complaints of mismanagement in the scheme,” said a government directive.