About 12.44 lakh farmers had been brought under the ambit of Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme during the current Kharif season in Chhattisgarh, officials informed.
Notably, the Chhattisgarh Government had started implementing the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme for Kharif season 2017 in May this year.
Department of Agriculture and Biotechnology had issued notification in this regard, officials informed.
As per notification, paddy (irrigated) and paddy (non-irrigated) have been notified. Other crops which have been brought under its purview include maize, soyabean, peanuts, Arhar (Tuar), Moong and Urad.
Village panchayat has been made unit. All kinds of farmers whether they are loanee or non-loanee or landlord or even ‘bataidars’ (those who take agriculture land on lease) can avail the said scheme.
Those farmers who are cultivating notified crops and their loan sanctioned from any financial institution from April 2017 to July 2017 for Kharif season will remain under the Insurance cover.
But if farmers have got their loans sanctioned from two different financial institutes for notified crops, they will get insurance cover of only one of the two financial institutes. Non-loanee farmers who have cultivated notified crops, can avail insurance cover by producing necessary documents.
It has also been clarified in the notification that benefit of insurance cover will be given the same way it was approved in 2016.
IFFCO Tokyo General Insurance Company has been appointed insurance agency for various districts mainly-- Narayanpur, Kanker, Kabirdham, Raigarh, Durg, Kondagaon, Bilaspur, Baloda Bazar, Gariaband, Balrampur, Koria, Bijapur, Mahasamund, Dhamtari, Raipur, Jashpur, Bastar, Janjgir-Champa, Dhantewada, Rajnandgaon and Surguja. Similarly, Reliance General Insurance Company has been appointed for other districts like Sukma, Balod, Mungeli, Bemetara, Surajpur and Korba.
Two per cent of the maximum insured amount or original amount whichever is less will be paid and for rest of the amount, Centre and state government will make contribution in ratio of 50:50.
Claims will be effective from period of sowing to harvest covering all the adversity like non-sowing of notified crops, natural calamity, non-germination of seeds, etc.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Raman Singh has asked officials to arrange and start distributing seeds which require less water for cultivation of crops even as Chhattisgarh fears for a spell of drought in many parts of the State.
Chairing a meeting of senior officials at his official residence recently, the Chief Minister directed to prepare an ‘Emergency Action Plan’ to deal with lack of sufficient rainfall in the State.
The officials in the meeting informed the Chief Minister that the average rainfall in the State had been short by 10 per cent in the State when compared to last 10 years with 677 mm rainfall registered between June 1 to August 18 in the State this monsoon season. It was also informed in the meeting that sowing for paddy crop had been 99 per cent complete .
The Chief Minister while mentioning about his earlier letter to all district collectors sent on August 16 directed that irrigation facilities be utilized fully to provide water to the farms.
Chhattisgarh government on August 6 this year had planned to declare 41 tehsils of the state drought-affected if rain continues to elude the regions.
As per agriculture department, Surguja and Bastar region have received normal rainfall this Monsoon season so far but the condition in Raipur, Durg and Bilaspur divisions is grim.
The crop is wilting in Raipur, Durg and Bilaspur regions due to insufficient rainfall for consecutively second year and the government is monitoring the condition on regular basis.
The situation of Raipur, Abhanpur, Arang, all the three tehsils of Durg, Gurur tehsil of Balod and all the four tehsils of Kanker district is highly serious.
If the drought-like condition continues to prevail in these areas over , the government is planning to declare 41 of the tehsils as drought-affected. The collectors of the concerned districts have been asked to submit the detailed report about the rain condition, sources had informed early this month.
Meanwhile it may be recalled that Drip and sprinkler Irrigation system being a better water energy saving technology has gained more preference by beneficiary farmers of various State Government schemes over traditional system during the past few years, officials informed.
The Chhattisgarh Rajya beej Evam Krishi Vikas Nigam ltd. (CGBKVN) is the implementing agency appointed by Government of Chhattisgarh for implementation of Micro Irrigation Schemes and Agriculture Mechanisation schemes in the State.
Chhattisgarh’s farm lands with 17.25 lakh hectares net irrigated area out of total 46.81 lakh hectares net cultivable area is dominated closely by field and vegetable crops.
At present the farm power availability in Chhattisgarh is about 0.96 kw/ha. Whereas national average is about 1.84 kw/ha. So it has great potential and necessity to achieve the national average for the agricultural development in the State, officials informed.
Notably, an MoU was signed between the Chhattisgarh State Agriculture and Seeds Development Corporation and Gujarat Green Revolution Company limited in the presence of Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal in 2016-17.
Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal had stated after signing of MoU that the State had been making efforts to improve the conditions of farmers and farming activity. The farmers can avail of the online facility to obtain sprinklers and drip equipment.
Water is very precious and this method of farming will help in utilizing every drop of water. High-grade equipment is the need of the hour for top quality agriculture, he said.
The farmers can avail of the latest farm implements from the registered firms Online. The drip irrigation and sprinklers implements will also be insured, Agrawal said.
The State Agriculture Department has decided to continue with the various schemes of drip irrigation, sprinkler and self-driven farming equipments and begin the new schemes resembling Gujarat’s pattern for the same from August onwards.
A circular regarding the information has been released by the Department of Agriculture and Biotechnology to the Directors of Agriculture and Horticulture departments.
Also, the circular has been sent to the Managing Director of Chhattisgarh Seed and Agricultural Development Corporation.
He informed about the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture which manages the On-Farm Water Management. It also covers the state funded micro irrigation schemes.
Agrawal further said the farmers are being provided irrigation pumps under the Shakambari Irrigation Scheme.
Notably, Chhattisgarh Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Brijmohan Agrawal on April 4 last year had stated that micro irrigation projects have been fulfilling irrigation needs of far-flung areas of the State.
He had urged the Centre to provide funds for big, medium and microirrigation projects.
Agrawal was addressing the four-day long India water week at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
He said that over 1.5 lakh hectares of land could get irrigation facility through micro irrigation projects in Chhattisgarh and demanded Rs 800 crore from the Centre for development of micro irrigation projects.
The Minister further said that budget in Chhattisgarh has been increased from 23 per cent to 34.76 per cent for ensuring development of water resources in the State.