Around four lakh more acres have been brought under the fold of the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme for the Samba cultivation season of 2021-22, compared to the corresponding period last year.
During this year’s season, around 29.33 lakh acres were insured, of which paddy accounted for 27.21 lakh acres. For the corresponding season of 2020-21, a total of 25.45 lakh acres were insured. In the parlance of the crop insurance sector, the Samba season is referred to as the “special season” because it comes neither under the Kharif season nor under Rabi.
So far, about 38.2 lakh acres have been insured. This includes the Kharif season’s share of around 1.13 lakh acres and that of Rabi, 7.73 lakh acres. Up to February, the coverage can be carried out for Rabi.
Last year, the total extent of lands insured was 42.77 lakh acres with around 25.77 lakh farmers enrolling themselves. This year, about 25.9 lakh farmers have registered themselves under the crop insurance scheme. As in the previous years, non-loanee farmers (those who have not taken crop loans) continue to dominate the composition of insured farmers, with their share being around 90%. Again, almost all the insured areas - approximately 98% - raise agricultural crops, even though the insurance scheme covers horticultural crops, too.
There was higher coverage and a greater number of farmers enrolled this year when compared to last year, an Agriculture Department official said, pointing to the growing popularity of the scheme among agriculturists.
Gross premium
As for the payment of gross premium during the current financial year, the State government had settled ₹20.76 crore towards its share of premium subsidy for the Kharif season, while the Central government’s share was ₹20.09 crore and farmers had paid ₹5.08 crore.
For the special season (Samba), the State government will have to pay ₹1,481.43 crore and the Central government ₹916.37 crore towards premium subsidy, with farmers contributing ₹137.92 crore. Likewise, for Rabi, the State and the Centre will have to shell out ₹203.65 crore and ₹148.23 crore, respectively, in addition to ₹27.2 crore from farmers.
Totally, for the three seasons this year, the State government’s commitment is ₹1,705.84; the Union government’s is ₹1,084.69 crore; and that of farmers, ₹170.2 crore.
