Jammu and Kashmir government today constituted a committee to work out modalities for framing a crop insurance scheme for the horticulture produce of the State.
"The decision in this regard was taken at a high-level meeting between the officers of horticulture, agriculture, finance and planning departments and representatives of J-K Bank, NABARD and insurance companies," an official spokesman said.
The meeting was chaired by Minister for Horticulture Abdul Rehman Veeri.
Vice-chancellor of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences (SKUAST) would be the chairman of the Committee and would submit its report within 15 days.
"The Committee would formulate guidelines and parameters for introducing Crop Insurance Scheme especially for apple and mango to provide financial assistance in times of natural disaster like hailstorm to the fruit growers and submit its report to the government within 15 days," the spokesman said.
The Horticulture minister said the government is keen to introduce weather-based crop insurance scheme for all fruits, particularly, apple and mango.
"The insurance scheme for fruit growers will first cater to the losses suffered on account of hailstorm under the new scheme adding that Government expects to cover 70 per cent of the total area under apple cultivation," he said.
Veeri asked the officers concerned and representatives of financial institutions to discuss the issue thoroughly and present a viable recommendation to the government for introducing a grower-friendly crop insurance scheme.
