Maha Govt plans to bring 70% farmers under PMFBY

The Dollar Business Bureau

Due to drought for three successive years in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and the poor monsoon in the previous years, the state government is trying to get more and more farmers under the insurance scheme for crops, in order to provide compensation for their failed crops.

Currently, there are just 30 percent farmers, who are under the Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), an insurance scheme launched by the central government for farmers. The Maharashtra government wants to increase this target to 70 percent, according to official sources. In order to bring even the small and marginal farmers into the scheme, the insurance premium has been significantly brought down.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai after a review meeting of Kharif crop sowing season, Eknath Khadse, Minister for Agriculture informed, “India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted that the monsoon is likely to reach Mumbai by June 10 and cover entire Maharashtra by June 20. There shall be above normal rainfall, this year.”

The minister said that in view of the early monsoon arrival the farmers will have to take the decision on the kharif crop between May 15 and May 21. The government expects an area of around 150 lakh hectares under the Kharif crop season, he said.

He assured that that the government has taken adequate steps to ensure the supply of fertilisers and seeds. The government is also planning to sell white urea, coated with oil of neem leaves, this year, he added.

According to estimates by the government, the output of the Kharif season for crops such as cereals, pulses and sugarcane is likely to vary between 5 percent and 21 percent, while the yield of cotton is expected to increase by 11 percent.