PMFBY not benefiting farmers: RKM

The Rashtriya Kisan Manch (RKM) today alleged that farmers were not being benefited under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) as "private companies" had imposed a number of restrictions.
The forum also urged the Centre and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to bring an alternate scheme for growers.
"Since farmers are not getting the benefit of the PMFBY, crop insurance scheme, owing to number of restrictions, imposed by private companies, the finance minister is requested to introduce an alternate scheme, in the forthcoming Budget," RKM's national president Shekhar Dixit said.
He made the appeal after attending a protest by farmers in Mandola village in Gaziabad

Dixit said that if the government really wants to help farmers hit by natural calamities, the only course left is to implement the scheme by itself, without involving private companies.
In the existing system, farmers feel cheated as they find themselves trapped between the scheme and its implementation process by the companies, he claimed.

"The Rin Mochan Yojna, is a fine gesture of the government, but it has also turned into a false hope to farmers, owing to the faulty system of the banks," he claimed.
On the protest at Mandola, the RKM leader alleged that 26,000 acres of land of farmers was acquired by the Gaziabad Development Authority at throw away price in 2013.

"The worst part of the acquisition was the transfer of land to builders, for the construction of flats, complexes," he alleged.
Dixit said that he would give a memorandum to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, demanding compensation for farmers at present rates and alternate agricultural land.