Barwani (Madhya Pradesh): In a significant move for farmers, Rajya Sabha MP Sumer Singh Solanki advocated for the inclusion of horticultural crops such as banana, papaya, orange, mango and pomegranate under the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme (PMFBY).
During the Monsoon Session of Rajya Sabha on August 20, Solanki raised a special mention emphasising that while cereals, pulses, oilseeds and other Rabi-Kharif crops are insured under PMFBY, horticultural crops had been excluded, leaving farmers vulnerable to natural calamities.
He highlighted that in districts like Barwani, Khargone, Khandwa, Burhanpur, Dhar and Aalirajpur, thousands of farmers grow these crops commercially, investing significant time, labour and capital.
Acknowledging the issue, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan instructed the Madhya Pradesh government to take necessary action to include these crops.
Solanki expressed that this inclusion will provide economic security to farmers and protect them from losses caused by floods, hailstorms, droughts or cyclones. The initiative has been hailed by farmers as a historic step towards agricultural stability and self-reliance.
