Mann Ki Baat: Govt aims to bring 50% farmers under crop insurance scheme, says PM Modi

Asserting that natural calamity is the biggest disaster for the farmers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that his government aimed at bringing 50 percent of the farmers under the ambit of the National Crop Insurance scheme. Addressing the nation in the 16th edition of his 'Mann ki Baat' programme, Prime Minister Modi said, "Let us integrate as many farmers as possible with the crop insurance scheme."

"The Indian Government has given a wonderful gift to the farmers in 2016, i.e. 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana'. Can we pledge to bring 50 percent of the farmers to the scheme in the next two years?" he added.

The Union Cabinet had earlier this month approved the 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana' for farmers' welfare. As per this scheme, there will be a uniform premium of only two percent to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops and 1.5 percent for all Rabi crops. In case of annual commercial and horticultural crops, the premium to be paid by farmers will be only five percent.

The premium rates to be paid by the farmers are very low and balance premium will be paid by the government to provide full insured amount to the farmers against crop loss on account of natural calamities.

The new Crop Insurance Scheme, which is in line with 'One Nation,  One Scheme' theme, incorporates the best features of all previous schemes.