Farmers under the banner of the National Farmers Protection Committee (NFPC) have sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the weather-based crop insurance scheme (WBCIS) being implemented by the Union and State governments.
NFPC general secretary Pandiyode Prabhakaran said here on Saturday that the farmers in Kerala were unable to register for the insurance scheme, as they were not informed of the WBCIS in spite of it beginning on July 1 and closing on August 31.
Mr. Prabhakaran, in a memorandum sent to the Prime Minister, said that the farmers in Kerala were in dire straits, as they were being denied the WBCIS, which would ideally alleviate the farmers’ concerns about the possible losses from weather changes.
“Neither the Union government nor the State government has initiated any move to include the farmers in the WBCIS even months after starting the first crop,” said Mr. Prabhakaran.
He said the farmers in Kerala were being denied the WBCIS benefits for no reason of theirs. “The lapses, the delay or denial of this important insurance scheme should be examined. Farmers in all other States are getting the benefits of the WBCIS. Denying this insurance scheme for the farmers in Kerala is equivalent to denial of their basic rights. It is unjust and cruel,” Mr. Prabhakaran said.
Thousands of farmers engaged in paddy, banana, coconut, mango, and various cash crops in Kerala would be hit by the denial of WBCIS. Farmer groups across the State are waiting with their portals open. “The deadline is ending on August 31. It will be cruel to farmers if they can’t register for this insurance,” said the NFPC.
In separate memorandums to the Prime Minister and other top Union government officials, Mr. Prabhakaran asked them to extend the insurance deadline until September 30 considering the problems being faced by the farmers in Kerala.
Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) is intended to provide insurance protection to the farmers against adverse weather incidence, such as deficit and excess rainfall, high or low temperature and humidity, which are deemed to impact adversely the crop production. It has the advantage to settle the claims within shortest possible time.
