Touting new crop insurance scheme of NDA government as a "historic step" in farmers' interest, BJP's Kisan Morcha said it would take the scheme to farmers during the "Jan Jagran week" to be organised across the country from March 9 to 15.
The Morcha also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching the scheme on January 13 and lauded his initiative in taking care of farmers woes.
"The scheme will go a long way in helping farmers who suffer from natural calamities. This is a historic step. It is a gift by Prime Minister to farmers on occasion of Lohri and Makar Sankranti. We thank Prime Minister for launching the much-needed scheme," Morcha chief Vijaypal Singh Tomar said.
He said this would culminate in the form of a "Dhanyavaad rally", the date for which will be fixed later.
Singh said the scheme will ensure transparency in granting compensation to farmers and will weed out corruption as the scheme envisages three-layered inspections through human inspection, satellite and the farmers self assessment.
He said office bearers of the Morcha's state units would hold meetings from January 20 to 31, where BJP vice president and in-charge of Kisan Morcha Satpal Malik will also be present and the scheme's features will be highlighted during media conferences. He added that from February 1 to 15, such meetings would be organised in all districts.
(REOPENS DEL48)
Singh said the Kisan Morcha had put forth suggestions during its just-concluded national executive meeting at Noida on January 11 and 12.
The scheme, he said, will prove to be a boon for farmers as the premium is very low and more benefits will be given to farmers at low premium, against the capping on returns earlier which has since been removed.
"In Uttar Pradesh, benefits could not accrue to farmers as now pre-sowing and post-harvesting crop is also insured. The scheme will ensure use of new technology to ensure early benefits to farmers for crop loss suffered," he said.
Malik said for the first time, a "fair and transparent pro-farmer scheme has been launched, as it will leave no scope for anybody's monopoly. We thank the Prime Minister for this."
In order to provide relief to drought-hit farmers, the government has announced a new Rs 8,800 crore crop insurance scheme, with significantly lower premium, to cover for loss of crop due to natural calamities.
Farmers will pay only 2 per cent of the premium fixed by insurance company for kharif foodgrains/oilseeds crops and 1.5 per cent for rabi foodgrains/oilseeds crops under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
