Odisha decides to implement agricultural insurance

With the weather God playing hide and seek with farmers of Odisha, the state government today decided to implement National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) during Kharif-2014.
The decision in this regard was taken at the State Level Coordination Committee meeting held here under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra.
The state government decided to adopt the NAIS in view of its advantages. "Under the provisions of NAIS, farmers have to pay less premium and, it also provides for 100 per cent crop insurance coverage of cultivators," a government official said.
The premium is only around 2.5 per cent of crop value of all major crops, the official said adding that a subsidy up to 10 per cent has also been envisaged for small and marginal farmers having the landholding of 2 hectares or less.

Chief Secretary has directed to make the process less burdensome and more farmers friendly, the official said.
As per the provisions, it has been decided that insurance enrolment will be made by Agricultural Insurance Company of India Ltd. During Kharif-2014, sources said.
Under NAIS the unit area for insurance of paddy will be the Gram Panchayats, Municipalities and Notified Area Councils (NAC).
For the crops like maize, groundnut, jute, cotton, red gram, turmeric, ginger and banana the unit area of insurance will be the block. Insurance for paddy will be available for all GPs, NACs and Municipalities of 30 districts, sources said.