PM Modi's crop insurance scheme is totally ineffective: Kiran Choudhry

The Haryana Congress leader said the scheme should be modified to protect the interests of the farmers

Describing the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojna (PMFBY) as "totally ineffective", Haryana Congress leader, Kiran Choudhry, today said the scheme should be modified to protect the interests of the farmers.

"Not all crops have been brought under the ambit of the scheme and village, not farmers, have been determined as the beneficiary unit which means farmers would be entitled to claim insurance only if the entire crop in the village is damaged," she said.

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"The scheme does not consider damage to the crops due to natural calamity as a loss which would deny compensation to a large number of farmers. It has been designed more to protect the interests of insurance companies," Kiran claimed.

She said that scheme should be modified to make an acre as the unit for compensation and the farmer should be entitled to consumer rights if their claim is denied.

"All crops should be brought under the purview of the scheme," she demanded.

BJP maintained that there was no drought but the rainfall figures indicated that in at least four districts the rainfall was short by more than 30%," she said.

"Going by the Centre's rules, drought has to be declared if the deficiency exceeds by 25% or more," she said adding, "Congress party is committed to the cause of farmers and would ensure that they are not deprived of their due by NDA government.