CM urged to release balance crop insurance amount to distressed farmers in Kalaburagi
Deputy Chairman of Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission B.R. Patil has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging him to immediately release compensation under crop insurance scheme to aid distressed farmers in Kalaburagi district, particularly those affected by failed tur (pigeon pea) crops during the 2024 monsoon season.
According to the letter, 8.9 lakh hectares were under cultivation in the district during the 2024 kharif season, with tur being the predominant crop cultivated over 6.27 lakh hectares.
The other major crops included black gram, green gram, soybean and cotton. With 90% of the district's agriculture rain-dependent, farmers continue to face the consequences of erratic rainfall patterns, including both excess and deficient rain.
Out of the 5.35 lakh farmers, only 2.04 lakh enrolled under the Karnataka Raitha Suraksha – Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (KRS-PMFBY), indicating only 38% coverage.
Mr. Patil commended the State government's revised insurance policy model (80:110) for instilling hope among farmers. Under this model, his constituency saw the formation of farmer groups in every village, resulting in 63,337 enrolments, primarily for rain-fed tur crops.
However, following a 71% rainfall deficit in November, tur crops began to dry up rapidly.
'Before agricultural scientists and myself visited the fields and found solutions for the problem, the crop had already dried. Later, GPS-based crop loss assessments were conducted by village revenue officers in accordance with government guidelines. The report has been sent to the government. Previously, no MLA from Aland constituency had taken such proactive measures. As a result of this meticulous crop-cutting analysis and farmer participation, Aland taluk alone has been sanctioned ₹225 crore in insurance relief. Similar efforts by other MLAs across the district have contributed to a cumulative relief proposal of ₹656 crore,' Mr. Patil said.
'Only ₹191 crore has been disbursed to 2.03 lakh farmers via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) which included ₹75.077 crore under local disaster compensation, ₹2.62 crore for post-harvest losses and ₹119 crore released by IFCO-TOKIO insurance company. However, the remaining ₹465 crore is yet to be disbursed,' Mr. Patil said.
Mr. Patil expressed concern that certain complaints from political opponents may have prompted the Finance Department to withhold the remaining funds, citing doubts over the crop loss assessments.
'The surveys were conducted honestly and transparently by government officials. Delays in compensation can discourage future farmer participation in the crop insurance scheme. With monsoon fast approaching, the farmers require immediate financial assistance to purchase seeds and fertilisers for sowing,' he said.
In his letter, Mr. Patil has urged the Chief Minister to ensure the prompt release of the remaining amount to support farmers in recovering from losses and preparing for the new agricultural season.
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