Palghar, Maharashtra: A farmer from Wada taluka was left in disbelief after discovering that his crop insurance compensation amounted to just ₹2.30 despite suffering heavy losses due to unseasonal rainfall.
Farmer’s Investment Washed Away
Madhukar Baburao Patil, a resident of Shilottar village, had spent nearly ₹80,000 cultivating paddy across seven acres this year. However, unseasonal rains destroyed most of his crop, plunging his family into financial distress.
After paying the insurance premium in July, Patil had been waiting for relief until he checked his bank balance last week.
“I opened the message thinking help had finally come,” Patil said. “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Our livelihood is gone.”
Officials Blame Technical Glitch
Agriculture officials later clarified that the amount was a leftover balance from earlier compensation related to previous crop losses and was credited automatically due to a system glitch.
The Palghar district administration explained that Patil had been sanctioned ₹72,466 for crop losses in 2022–23, of which ₹72,464 was credited to his account in May 2024. The pending ₹2.30, officials said, was delayed due to a technical issue and automatically deposited nearly a year later.
“This was a technical error,” clarified District Agriculture Superintendent Nilesh Bhageshwar, adding that Patil has not yet received compensation for this year, as the crop loss assessment process is still underway.
Farmers Demand Timely Relief
Farmers in the region have urged the government to ensure swift, fair compensation and greater accountability from insurance companies. They say delays and unclear communication add to their hardships.
“We can’t keep waiting while our fields and hopes dry up,” said a local farmer, echoing the growing frustration across the district.
