Betel and Jute crop to be brought under the NAIS

Bhubaneswar, Aug 10 (UNI) Betel and Jute crop will soon be brought under the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme, Orissa Minister for Co-operation Surama Padhi said today.

Addressing a meeting, organised by the Agricultural Insurance Company of India to disburse the Insurance claims to various banks here, Ms Padhi said the state government had already taken up the issue with the Union Government.

She said in Kharif season paddy, groundnut, mecca, cotton, arhar and alasi were included under the scheme, while in Rabi season paddy, groundnut, mustard seeds, potato and Sugarcane were given insurance cover in the state.

The minister said efforts were on to bring sugarcane under the insurance scheme in Kharif season also.

She said the performance of Orissa was better than the national average so far as the agricultural insurance scheme was concerned.

While in orissa 25 per cent of the total 40 lakh farmers were covered under the scheme, in all India level only 15 per cent of the farmers were covered.

She said during the last 14 seasons a premium of Rs 171.87 crore was collected as premimum from 14.48 lakh farmers and a sum of Rs 422.30 crore was paid as insurance claims.

Speaking on the occasion, Agricultral Insurance Company of India Chairman M Prasad requested the minister to initiate steps for making block as a unit for agricultural insurance for all listed crops to cover more farmers under the scheme.

UNI