Jammu: Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura today said the Government has notified seven crops/geographical areas to be covered under Prime Minister Fasal Bhima Yojana (PMFBY) in the state.
Replying to a question of MLA Choudhary Sukhnandan, the Minister said that seven crops included under PMFBY are Paddy, Maize, wheat, oilseeds, mango, saffron and apple spread over 20 districts/287 blocks of the state. Only 2% premium is to be paid by the farmers for all Kharif crops and 1.5% for all Rabi crops, he added.
“In case of commercial and horticulture crops, the premium is 5% only of the sum insured. The rest will be equally shared by GOI and state Govt,” he added.
Regarding the progress achieved in implementation of the scheme, the Minister said that there was some issue with the National Insurance Company (NIC) – the service provider – with regard to notification date.
He said the matter has been taken up with the government of India for early resolution enabling the state government to let farmers go in for insurance during the current Rabi season.
“There is no response and possibly no change in the stand taken by National Insurance Company. The department is also simultaneously taking steps for re-bidding, in case the current attempt to rope in NIC fails,” the Minister informed the house.
The Minster also informed the House that 32,593.26 quintals of wheat has been produced in SM Farm Chakroi and SM Farm Chinore during the past two years.
He however said that most of the sown area was damaged due to water logging caused by heavy rains during flowering season and damage by unseasonal rains during Rabi 2014-15.
He also said that due to firing on borders and prolonged dry spell, the crop remained under draught conditions during 2015-16.
He further informed that Rs 2401.274 lakh expenditure has been incurred in five years for works taken for upgradation of the seed multiplication farm for Jammu Basmati.
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