2 days ago
Bengal's tea to be covered by Centre's weather-based insurance
Kolkata: Centre has introduced weather-based insurance for some plantation crops, including tea. Tea in Bengal, Assam and Kerala is under the scheme.
In a circular issued on June 10, Union ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare said: "DA&FW, in collaboration with state govts, commodity boards under the aegis of the department of commerce, as well as the coconut development board and other stakeholders, undertook proactive steps to define scientific term sheets for some plantation crops to facilitate extending accessible, affordable crop insurance coverage to plantation farmers through the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS).
"
The circular asked states to expedite tender processes — for the participation of private players — by June 20 to include different plantation crops under RWBCIS with effect from this kharif season.
Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty, president of CISTA, the representative body of the small tea growers, said that this was the first time a weather-based crop insurance was introduced for plantation crops. "It is a long-awaited and welcome move. We have been asking for this for some years," he added.
Follow more information on
Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here
. Get
real-time live updates
on rescue operations and check
full list of passengers onboard AI 171
.
