Govt to change National Agricultural Insurance Scheme

The government today said it will introduce changes in the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) as several states have pointed out flaws in it.     

Replying to supplementaries in during Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said "there have been complaints from several states regarding the scheme and they have suggested changes in its current format".     

Pawar said that while 27 states implement this scheme, many others, including Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland do not do so. "Punjab has pointed out that compensation given under it in case of crop damage is not adequate, therefore it does not implement the scheme," he said.     

The minister added that the Centre after receiving complaints about the scheme from states, had formed a group to look into the loopholes.     

"The group has given its recommendations, which are currently with Centre. We will discuss these recommendations with state governments and then implement them," Pawar said.     

The scheme is in operation since 1999-2000, and is area-based. Pawar said states implementing it can notify any contiguous area including 'village' as unit of insurance, subject to the condition that states have past yield area data and the capacity to undertake requisite number of crop-cutting experiments to make assessment of yield.