Mumbai : The state government has decided to enrol over 1.35 crore farmers across the state under the prime minister’s insurance scheme. The state government would pay the premium for these farmers, agriculture minister Eknath Khadse told reporters here on Wednesday.
“The state government has undertaken several initiatives for agriculture and for the farmers,” Khadse said, as he described the initiatives taken by the government. “We have decided to enrol all the farmers who hold bank accounts under the prime minister’s insurance scheme. We have also initiated a toll-free helpline service for farmers,” he said.
The state government has decided to commemorate the first week of July as ‘Agricultural Awareness Week’ in memory of former Chief Minister Vasantrao Naik, Khadse said. “Apart from creating awareness about agriculture-related initiatives among the farmers, efforts would be made to take the newer technologies developed by agricultural universities to farmers,” he added.
“We won’t let urea prices escalate till 2019. If at all the prices go up, the Union government will bear the additional burden and the government won’t cut subsidies on compost fertilizers in any case,” he said, while answering a query.
