AP to introduce best crop insurance policy: Minister

Vijayawada: Agriculture minister K. Atchannaidu has vowed to implement the ‘best’ crop insurance policy for farmers from next year and assured them that this would be implemented from the upcoming rabi season, based on feasibility. It would cover both the kharif and rabi seasons.

Replying to the queries raised by members during Question Hour in the legislative council on Thursday, the minister said the government was planning to come up with the best crop insurance policy with contributions from farmers as also from the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

The crop insurance policy initiated by the TD government in 2014-19 was the best, he claimed, and said the present government would implement the same with requisite changes.

The minister said the crop insurance policy adopted by the YSR Congress government during 2019-24 was “not beneficial” to the farmers. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government was yet to pay crop insurance claims under Free Insurance-PMFBY after rabi 2022-23 to the farmers, he said.

He added that the PMFBY claims totalling `1,393.61 crore were yet to be paid to farmers. Efforts would be made to have the necessary budget provision this fiscal for release of the pending subsidy to the farmers.

The minister said the chief minister has issued orders to constitute a cabinet sub-committee comprising three ministers, including those handling agriculture, civil supplies, and finance to frame the “best crop insurance policy” for farmers.

The minister said the YSRC government reneged on its promise to set up a crop insurance company on its own by claiming that the Centre had not accepted their proposal to do so.