Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan here on Friday made several announcements including launch of a separate crop insurance scheme for the farmers in Madhya Pradesh. Chouhan was speaking at the concluding session of the two-day State executive meeting of the BJP.
Other announcements included Namami Devi Narmade scheme, under which the devotees, those not paying income tax, would be allowed to participate in the scheme in which Narmada river parikrama would be held in a bus.
Besides, to mark the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay centenary commencing from September 25, Gareeb Kalyan Varsh (Poor welfare year) would be observed in the State. Criticising the previous UPA Government at Centre, Chouhan said that the crop insurance scheme of the Centre had been faulty and he pointed it out before the Prime Minister and recently, the States have been asked to give their suggestions to make it effective.
He said, "Not only hail stone or inclement weather damaging crops should be covered in the insurance scheme, but other aspects causing reduction in production and fall in price of crop in market should also be considered." To assess the loss of crops, average yearly production of the crop should be considered, he added.
Talking about taking a lead in introducing a separate crop insurance scheme in the State, Chouhan said, "I feel Madhya Pradesh should lead with permission of the Centre. The separate crop insurance scheme of MP would be implemented on an experimental basis covering all the aspects of crop damage and other States could follow it."
For implementing the separate scheme if additional funds are required, he would make provisions as the issue is related to 65 per cent population of the State, he added. Since, the Centre has not allowed the State for providing bonus of Rs 200 per quintal to the farmers on procurement of their produce, Chouhan said that efforts are on to compensate the farmers with similar amount. Funds regarding this have been kept in reserve and that would be paid to the farmers some or the other way, he said.
He announced that the Baba Saheb Institute in Mhow would be converted into a university and a declaration in this would be made on the birth anniversary of Baba Saheb on April 14. He also criticized the Congress and its allied parties for raising the issue of land acquisition Bill despite the fact that they never bothered about the farmers in the past when they ruled at the Centre.