As the sowing season picks up momentum once more, farmers in seven districts of Haryana have been dealt another blow, with no insurance coverage from private firms under the Centre's flagship Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. For the third year running, growers from Mahendragarh, Gurugram, Hisar, Jind, Sonepat, Karnal and Ambala will not see any protection for their upcoming kharif harvest should calamity strike.
While the scheme has delivered payouts worth crores for farmers across the country, its dependence on the private sector has proven problematic for a select few areas. With no takers from insurance companies, cultivators are entirely at the mercy of the elements during the critical sowing months. Addressing the recurring issue, the All India Kisan Sabha has urged the state government to step up and deploy a public firm this season.
“Private players have made handsome returns initially but are now backing out when claims need settling. Farmers desperately need the stability only a national insurer can provide,” said AIKS chief Master Balbir. Recall that late intervention last year still saw many miss out on compensation after losses. With memories still fresh, the body has criticised excessive autonomy to corporations and lack of accountability.
The absence of a safety net leaves growers highly vulnerable as they invest time, money and effort into the kharif cycle. Any unexpected weather or pest problems could devastatingly impact yields and income across the region. With no cover in place again, the onus is squarely on the administration to uphold its duty of care towards those who feed the nation. Will officials finally heed farmers' legitimate demand for a stable, farmer-friendly alternative this season? The coming months will show.
