To provide the much needed cushion to famers during adverse climatic conditions, the State government notified implementation of three crop insurance schemes — National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS), Modified NAIS, and weather-based insurance — to ensure coverage of crops in all districts during the kharif season.
While NAIS would cover 25 crops in 26 districts, the Modified NAIS would cover 27 crops in the districts of Gulbarga, Shimoga, Tumkur and Uttara Kannada.
The weather-based scheme would cover 19 crops, mainly horticultural, in Bangalore Rural, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bellary, Bidar, Bijapur, Chikmagalur, Chitradurga, Chickballapur, Davangere, Dharwad, Gadag, Hassan, Haveri, Kolar, Koppal, Raichur, Ramanagaram, and Yadgir districts, officials in the Agriculture Department told The Hindu.
Kharif target
The State has set a target of 74.2 lakh hectares for the kharif season.
NAIS envisages coverage of all food crops (cereals and pulses), oilseeds, horticultural and commercial crops. It covers all farmers, both loanees and non-loanees.
NAIS would cover major crops, including paddy, maize, jowar, ragi, toor dal, sunflower, green gram, and groundnut (both rainfed and irrigated).
Last date
The last date for submission of applications for the scheme is August 31.
The premium ranges from 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent of the sum insured depending on crops planted.
Farmers have to pay the insurance premium in banks along with the certified copy of area sown issued by village accountant.
Crop damage
In the event of crop damage on account of adverse weather conditions such as deficient and excessive rainfall, frost, drought and relative humidity, farmers have to inform to the bank concerned where they paid premium within 48 hours of the damage or to the Agricultural Insurance Company (AIC) of India Ltd., Bangalore.
A total of 4.2 lakh farmers enrolled under NAIS in 2012 kharif season.
Mandatory
The Modified NAIS has been made mandatory for all loanee farmers.
The premium ranges from 2.4 per cent to 6 per cent of the sum insured depending on crops planted. The last date for participation in the scheme is June 30. AIC would implement the scheme in four districts, officials said.
MNAIS would cover 27 crops, including paddy, maize, toor dal, ragi, sunflower, cotton, groundnut, chillies and onion.
Under the scheme, insurance amount of Rs. 30.59 crore was paid to 60,371 farmers for crop loss during 2010–11 (rabi), 2011 (kharif) and 2011–12 (rabi) seasons.
Weather-based scheme
The weather-based scheme would cover several major crops, including jowar, ragi, bengal gram, potato, chillies, grapes and banana.
Farmers who have availed themselves of crop loans must insure their crops under the scheme.
The last date for submission of applications for the scheme is July 31.
Six firms
Six insurance firms — AIC, HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company, Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company, Iffco Tokio General Insurance Company Ltd., Tata AIG General Insurance Company, and ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company — are implementing the scheme.
A total of 1.22 lakh farmers received insurance amount of 10.02 crore under the scheme for crop loss in 2011–12 kharif and rabi seasons.
The premium ranges from 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent of the sum insured for crops. Farmers can get details of the scheme from a network of 745 raitha samparka kendras.
