Government to soon launch 'more farmer friendly' crop insurance scheme

The government is planning to come up with a "more farmer friendly" crop insurance scheme in the next two months.

The proposed scheme is aimed at enhancing the insurance coverage in the agriculture sector, helping farmers in mitigating the loss to their crops from different reasons, a government official said.

"We are working on restructuring of present crop insurance schemes and likely to come up with a restructured crop insurance scheme in next two months and it will be more farmer friendly," the official said at an event here organised by the PHD chambers.

Speaking at the same event, Minister of State for Agriculture Mohanbhai Kundariya said: "...mainly due to lack of awareness among the farmers about crop insurance...the schemes have not made large impact."

At present, there are two insurance schemes for farmers the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and National Crop Insurance Programme (NCIP).

NCIP was launched from rabi 2013-14 season by merging modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS), Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) and Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme (CPIS).

The NAIS was introduced from rabi 1999-200 season to protect the farmers against losses suffered by them due to crop failure on account of natural calamities.

Last month, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh had said the government will launch a new crop insurance scheme with a clause guaranteeing minimum income to cultivators in case of a natural calamity.