Maha farmers to get Rs 562 cr rabi crop insurance: Minister

Farmers in Maharashtra would get Rs 562.14 crore under National Crop Insurance Programme (NCIP) for the 2012-13 rabi (winter) season, Agriculture Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said here today.
"This is the highest crop insurance amount farmers in Maharashtra have got in the history of the state," the minister told reporters at Mantralaya.
The Central scheme, also known as Rashtriya Fasal Bima Karyakram (RFBK), has been formulated by merging the Pilot Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS), Pilot Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS) and Pilot Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme (CPIS).
Of the amount, Rs 290 crore is for rainfed jowar, Rs 102 crore for jowar under irrigation and Rs 140 crore for gram crop, Vikhe Patil said.

Over 10 lakh farmers in the state had participated in the scheme, under the Agriculture Insurance Company, he said.
The government is mulling an "agro-climate zone-based agricultural policy", the minister said.

In another major development, the government is also considering a proposal to set up silos to store food grain and enhance the grain storage capacity, the minister said.
The silos are proposed to be located near major rail heads to facilitate better transportation, the minister said.
"We would be floating tenders for the work by this month-end," Vikhe Patil said.
The state had set up a committee under scientist Anil Kakodkar to evaluate impact of GM crop field tests, he said. "The committee has submitted its report. It is with the chief minister," the minister said.

The panel has suggested the the new technology be accepted, the minister said. "The final decision will have to be taken by the Union Government," he added.
Introducing genetically modified (GM) Bt cotton into the state led to the state's agriculture universities stopping research on local varieties, he said. "The varsities have failed to protect interests of farmers," he added.
The use of insecticides and pesticides has gone up after introduction of Bt cotton, he said.