Crop insurance companies and the Maharashtra government are once again at loggerheads. State Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse has ordered the crop insurance companies to make quick decisions on the insurance claims submitted by farmers for Kharif 2020 losses incurred due to the unseasonal rains.
He has asked the companies to deposit the insurance claim amount in the bank account of farmers within the next eight days, and warned that cases will be filed against those companies which fail to follow the order.
According to the State government’s information, 1.7 crore farmers participated in the insurance scheme for Kharif 2020 season. The estimated crop loss evaluated is ₹1,068 crore out of which ₹844 crore has been given to farmers.
“The pending insurance claim of ₹223.35 crore should be deposited in the bank accounts of farmers within the next 8 days,” Bhuse ordered company representatives in a recent meeting in Mumbai. This Kharif season, about 84 lakh farmers have participated in the insurance scheme and paid ₹2,312 crore insurance instalment.
Crop insurance companies must improve operations
Minister Bhuse said that farmers are agitated because they have not received insurance claims and insurance companies will be held responsible for the law and order situation in districts. He said that companies need to improve their operations and speed up the process to disburse the insurance claims.
Bhuse said that farmers, whose claims were rejected, must get another chance to get the evaluation of their losses. He said that the State Agriculture Department must support farmers and ensure that all the eligible farmers get insurance claims.