Why Gujarat opted out of PMFBY, ask BRS leaders

 Hyderabad: BRS leaders lashed out at BJP state president Bandi Sanjay for his criticism of the state government not implementing the PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and for opposing Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's announcement of extending Rs 10,000 per acre crop loss aid to the farmers who lost crops by unseasonal rains.

Finance minister T. Harish Rao and Rythu Bandhu Samithi chairman and MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy asked Sanjay to answer why Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat had opted out of the PMFBY, if it was really a good scheme to compensate the farmers for crop loss.

Speaking to media on Friday, Harish Rao stated that as many as 10 states, including BJP-ruled states and five Union territories have opted out of the PMFBY after realising that the scheme was benefitting insurance companies rather than farmers.

"Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar himself stated in Parliament that 10 states and five Union territories had opposed PMFBY and opted out of it. This itself proves that this scheme is of no use to farmers," Harish Rao said.

Rajeshwar Reddy came down heavily on Sanjay's statement that the Telangana government was paying compensation to farmers from the funds granted by the Centre.

"The state government sanctioned Rs 228 crore for crop loss aid to farmers from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Getting SDRF funds from the Centre is the legitimate right of all the states. Every state gets SDRF funds from the Centre and Telangana is no exception.  If the Centre releases any special assistance under National Disaster.

Response Fund (NDRF), the BJP leaders can claim the credit," he said.