Crop insurance policy to be revised: Sinha

KONDA GAON (Chhatisgarh), SEPT. 9. The Union Finance Minister, Mr. Yashwant Sinha, today said the Centre was planning to reform the current crop insurance policy and make it more farmer- friendly.

``The Centre is determined to make the crop insurance policy more farmer-friendly, besides expanding its uses, to strengthen the financial condition of the vast rural people depending upon agriculture,'' Mr. Sinha told PTI here.

``The Centre is working on further refinement of the crop insurance policy,'' he said. The Minister said he had detailed discussions with the then Agriculture Minister, Mr. Nitish Kumar, and the issue is being discussed with the new incumbent, Mr. Ajit Singh, also.

The policy needed attention since it has a limited scope as the farmer has not been covered for any other losses other than crop losses, he said. ``When an individual could be covered against any individual loss why not the farmers,'' the Union Minister asked favouring further smaller division of area as a single unit to give better assurance for any crop damage.

Stressing the need for reform in crop insurance, Mr. Sinha said during his discussion with insurance sector officials he had also suggested that individual farmers should be treated as a single unit as against the current practice of whole revenue block or tehsil. ``But I was told that was not be possible considering all aspects,'' he said. However, instead of any revenue block or tehsil as a unit to evaluate the extent of crop damage, it is being considered to take one village as a single unit, while working on its refinement, the Finance Minister said.

He said the ministry also had talks with several Chief Ministers and appealed to the State Governments to offer suggestions on the issue. Later speaking at a function to distribute kisan credit card at Jagdalpur, Bastar, the Minister said the Centre was determined not to allow any distress sale of paddy and other foodgrains in the country.

The Centre would provide sufficient assistance so that no farmers should, out of compulsion, sell their agro-products outside the grain markets and at a rate below the official price, he added.

- PTI

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