Jammu, November 21
Almost four years have passed since the government introduced the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS) in the state to assist the farmers suffering losses due to natural calamities like rains, floods and droughts. However, there is just one man handling the implementation work in the entire Jammu region with 10 districts.
Almost four years have passed since the government introduced the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS) in the state to assist the farmers suffering losses due to natural calamities like rains, floods and droughts. However, there is just one man handling the implementation work in the entire Jammu region with 10 districts.
Due to the casual approach of the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC), which acts as the implementation agency in the state, and the Agriculture Department, the basic purpose of the scheme is getting defeated and few farmers have so far insured their crops.
The government has covered five major crops under the scheme, including paddy, wheat, maize, potato and mustard. The Perusal of the official documents procured by The Tribune revealed that the total number of farmers covered in the Jammu region under the scheme was also decreasing. The documents revealed that the total number of farmers covered under the scheme during the kharif season in 2009-10 was 1,944, which came down to 1,294 in 2010-11.
A similar trend was observed in the rabi season, as the farmers covered in the year 2009-10 were 2,379, which reduced to 1,152 in 2010-11.
Though field officer of the Agriculture Insurance Company Ashwani Bhat termed it a result of unwillingness of farmers to get covered under the scheme, Ajay Khajuria, Director of Agriculture, Jammu, said it was the result of lack of infrastructure of the insurance company.
Khajuria said, “The insurance agency has appointed just one man here to look after the entire region, which is not possible. Though the officer visits the region yet there is a requirement of more staff, so that farmers in the remote areas could also be covered under it.”
Bhat said, “Basically, I have been told to focus on RS Pura and Marh blocks of the Jammu region. But, I am visiting the entire region. The results will definitely come, but it will take some time.” He further said the number of total farmers covered this year would be calculated.
However, he was not sure of any positive results this year also.
A file photo of a farmer assessing the damage caused to his crop due to rain in the RS Pura sector of Jammu.
Courtesy: The Tribune
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