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A Joint Group which was constituted by the Government under the Chairmanship of an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture has submitted its report on 20.12.2004. The major recommendations of the Group relating to the Crop Insurance are:-
· Reduction in the unit area of insurance to the level of village panchayat for major crops.
· Threshold/guaranteed yield is proposed to be based on best 5 years out of preceding 7 years yield data.
· Indemnity levels will be 90 per cent for low risk (i.e. prevented sowing on account of adverse seasonal conditions). The indemnity payable may range between 20 per cent – 25 per cent of sum insured.
· Post-harvest losses on account of cyclone are to be covered in coastal areas for a period of two weeks from harvesting provided the harvested crop is lying in the field.
· Uniform seasonality discipline for loanee and non-loanee farmers is to be followed in consultation with the States/UTs.
· On account payment of claims is to be made during the season on the basis of weather data or satellite imagery or other proxy indicators so as to make timely payment of claims.
· An individual assessment of claims will be carried out in case of specified localized calamities viz. hailstorm, landslide and damage due to wild animals.
· Insurance scheme to be placed on actuarial regime. However, the premium to be paid by the farmers be suitably subsidized.
· AIC should expand its network in terms of district level franchise, rural agents, micro-insurance agents to provide better service to farmers, particularly non-loanee farmers.
The Group had the following terms of reference.
(i) To review the status position of existing Crop Insurance Scheme i.e. National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS), Pilot Project on Farm Income Insurance Scheme (FIIS), Varsha Bima Yojana and other agriculture related schemes floated by Private General Insurance Companies.
(ii) Improvements required in National Agricultural Insurance Scheme.
(iii) To develop broad parameters/concept paper of an appropriate and farmers friendly crop insurance scheme after taking into account the professional inputs obtained from experts and private sector general insurance companies.
(iv) To make assessment of up front subsidy, if any, to be paid by the government.
This information was given by Shri Kanti Lal Bhuria, Minister of State for Agriculture, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
UM/RC/Hb
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