Farmers who face the brunt of  vagaries of nature have a different reason to worry this time. Yes.  Covid19 induced lockdown had thrown lives of our farmers out of gear with severe consequences . However , the union  government had announced sector specific financial measures in the form of PM garib kalyan yojana and Atmanirbhar bharat to alleviate the sufferings of poor including farmers.  Additionally, the union government have several schemes like  crop insurance schemes to help the farmers in distress.  PM Fasal Bima Yojana has been restructured for the benefit of farmers and save them from loss due to crop failure. Early this year,  Union cabinet had approved allocation of crop insurance to insurance companies for three years. States were given option to determine the scale of finance at  district level  as per average yield minimum support price. Central subsidy will be 30 percent for unirrigated crops and 25 per cent for irrigated areas. This is being implemented from this Kharif season and  farmers will be able to manage the risk of agriculture production.

In Tamil Nadu, PM crop insurance scheme is being implemented in all the districts except Chennai from 2016. From this fiscal, farmers especially those who have taken bank loans can join this crop insurance scheme voluntarily. Moreover crop insurance is based at district level as there will be changes from region to region.

In Tiruchirapalli district,  for Kharif season , paddy is cultivated in 116 revenue villages, ground nut in 152 villages, pulses in 130 villages and  cotton in 145 villages. On the whole, cultivation is done in 543 revenue villages in the district. Moreover 25 bighas Maize and 11 bighas millet also are being cultivated. Farmers can insure through PM Fasal Bima yojana Crop insurance either through banks from which they have taken crop loans or  common service centres, or primary cooperative agriculture societies. In Kharif season, farmers should insure paddy crops at the rate of Rs 674 per acre before August 16. Farmers who cultivate pulses should insure their crops at the rate of Rs 327 per acre before September 30. Farmers who cultivate ground nut should insure their crops for Rs 540 per acre before September 30. Cotton farmers should insure their crop at the rate of Rs 352 per acre before August 16. Farmers who cultivate maize should insure before September 30 at the rate of Rs 215 per acre. Insurance at the rate of Rs 189 per acre has to be given for millet, before September 30,  according to officials. Under the scheme only 2 per cent of the insurance amount for paddy, pulses, ground nut,  corn and millet has to be paid and only 5 per cent of total insurance amount for cotton crops.

In Karur district for Kharif season farmers can take crop insurance for pulses, groundnut, banana, tapioca, shallots, turmeric and tomato. Farmers can register for crop insurance from cooperative agriculture society banks and  nationalised banks. The last date for registering for crop insurance in Karur is September 15. In Karur for the fiscal 2018-19,  Rs 8.91 crore insurance amount was given to 3842 crop insurance registered farmers to mitigate loss.

Farmers should be aware of the schemes of government to utilise it properly. Government is always in the forefront to save the farmers from crop loss and insurance for crops will bring solace to farmers when they suffer from loss due to natural calamities like heavy rain or drought.

 

Paddy field in Trichy

 

Ground nut farm in Trichy

 

Maize field in Trichy

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