Date:09/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/09/stories/2008030952780300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Crop insurance will be extended: Raghuveera

Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM: Minister for Agriculture N. Raghuveera Reddy has said that considering village as a unit the crop insurance scheme will be extended to all the remaining 17 districts in the State from 2008-09. The scheme is already in force in five districts since kharif-2006.

Crop area

Speaking at the regional meeting on agriculture and allied sectors here on Saturday, Mr. Reddy said that the crop area in each village must not be less than 100 ha for claiming insurance. If the area were to fall short, then the area in the abutting village would also be added to consider it as a unit. He said that farmers who availed themselves of the loan facility from banks would automatically get the benefit. The non-loanee farmers, however, must pay the prescribed premium to get the benefit, he said. The insurance cover is only for the main crop raised in each district. He made it clear that for other crops, each mandal would be taken as a unit for extending the insurance.

Mr. Reddy, while informing officials that Rythu Chaitanya yatras would begin in May, said that the programme was aimed at creating confidence among farmers that the government was committed to their welfare.

Scheme beneficiaries

Reviewing the progress of each department with officials from Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, he said the Chief Minister had, in principle, agreed to increase the insurance amount per lamb from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000 and for sheep from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000. An order to this effect would be issued in four or five days. He also instructed Animal Husbandry officials to identify beneficiaries for Jeeva Kranti scheme by involving sheep-rearing societies. Wherever needed, new societies must be formed for the purpose.

With regard to sericulture, he said that the Chief Minister had agreed to collect domestic power tariff from farmers against the existing commercial tariff.

On labour problem during sugarcane harvesting, the Minister asked officials to utilise mini mechanical harvesters on an experimental basis.