Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today hailed the Centre's decision for a new crop insurance scheme as a 'revolutionary step'.
"Decision to compensate farmers 100 per cent through 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana' is a revolutionary step. It will ensure their financial security," Chouhan, currently on a four-day visit to Singapore, said in a series of tweets.
Expressing gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chouhan said, "Highly thankful to PM @narendramodi for historic decision to bring new crop insurance scheme. It will certainly provide succor to farmers.
Existing crop insurance schemes had many shortcomings. In most cases, schemes were not good enough to reduce the hardships of farmers," he said in another tweet.
The Centre today cleared a crop insurance scheme under which farmers' premium has been kept at a maximum of 2 per cent for foodgrains and oilseeds and up to 5 per cent for horticulture/cotton crops.
To be rolled out from the kharif season this year, the much awaited scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, was cleared at a Union Cabinet meeting, headed by Modi.
Meanwhile, Union Steel and Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has also welcomed the farmer-friendly and unprecedented decision of launching the 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojna' and expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister.
The Cabinet approved the scheme and Tomar stated that this is indicative of the farmer-friendly policies of Modi and the NDA Government. This will result in the betterment of economic conditions and the standard of living of the farmers.
The scheme is indeed an unparalleled initiative for the welfare of the farmers, he added.