The government plans to implement the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme extensively in all districts in a bid to protect farmers from the vagaries of monsoon. Its coverage will be doubled during this year from the current eight lakh farmers. According to the budget, weather-risk mitigation is one of the major issues being addressed. Hence, the ongoing pilot scheme on weather-based crop insurance will be evaluated for further extension.
It has pointed out that the State has already set up 211 automatic weather stations at the block level. And 88 more are in the process of being established. “Once this project is completed, it will be possible to disseminate all weather-based information and forecast, including advance warnings on disease and pest outbreaks, to farmers instantaneously through the internet and SMS.”