WordMamta Banerjee led government of West Bengal while truying to be one step ahead of the Modi Govt. has declared a crop insurance scheme in collaboration with the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC), for the 2019 kharif season. The scheme named as “Bangla Shashya Bima” (BSB) is applicable for farmers in 15 districts – Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Medinipur, Malda, Hooghly, Nadia, Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, Birbhum, Purulia, Dakshin Dinajpur, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas.
The crop insurance under the scheme would be free of cost for the farmers since the government will pay the full premium. The crops that will come under insurance are aman paddy, aus paddy, jute and maize.
The farmers who have taken loans (granted or applied for) and even those not taking loans can avail of the insurance. The insurance will be paid in four stages – for any losses suffered during planting, during cultivation, during the period post-cutting when crops are lying in the field, and for adverse weather situations. The amoun will be decided by the state government and will be calculated per hectare.
The center Govt. scheme of crop insurance, burden of which is being shared by the center & state govts. with some contribution from the farmers is opposed by various political parties as the same is facing hurdles over the claim settling issues by the various private insurers.