Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh): The Revenue department has started a survey of the large-scale damage caused to the standing crops in Madhya Pradesh. Hailstorm-affected farmers will not get any benefit under the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme if the area under crop cultivation is less than 100 acre. Such farmers will get benefit as per the provision of Revenue Book Circular (RBC).
Major crops like paddy, wheat and soybean have a cultivation area of more than 100 acre in Madhya Pradesh so only these crops will be covered under PM Crops Insurance Scheme.
Principal secretary Agriculture Ashok Barnwal said that insurance for crop damage will be given as per the books. “ Government is conducting a survey for the damaged crops.If area under cultivation for any crops is below 100 acre, the farmers will not get the benefit of the Prime Minister Crop Insurance scheme. Such farmers will be given compensation under provision of sections 6/4 RBC,” said the PS.
Kedar Sirohi, a farmer, said, “Area under cultivation for crops like maize, mustard, vegetables, peas, gram etc is below 100 acre in Madhya Pradesh so they will not be covered under PM Crops insurance scheme. The farmers cultivating these crops have suffered damages due to hail and storms. The state government should consider this factor while conducting surveys of damaged crops. Otherwise, the survey will simply be an eyewash and the majority of famers will remain deprived of the benefit.” The farmer further said that the compensation given under the national scheme is much higher than the amount given for damages as per the Revenue Book Circular (RBC) by the state government.
Recently unseasonal rain accompanied by hail and strong wind had damaged wheat, gram, opium and other crops in the state. Crops have been damaged on a wide scale in Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam, Rajgarh, Shajapur, Sehore, Bhopal districts. Rain and hail occurred in Mandsaur, Pipliyamandi and Malhargarh in Mandsaur district damaging opium crops on a large scale.
