Question : National Agriculture Income Insurance Scheme

(a) whether the Government has any proposal to launch National Crop Income Insurance Scheme (NCIIS);

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the salient features of the scheme and the time by which NCIIS is likely to be launched in the entire country;

(c) whether it is proposed to allow States to come up with their own schemes;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the extent to which States are likely to be benefited under the scheme; and

(e) whether the new scheme will cover all the crops including natural rubber, if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

‡ãðŠãäÓã ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ À㕾㠽ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIA )

(a) & (b): Improvement in crop insurance schemes to make these more scientific in order to better serve the interests of the farmers, is a continuous process and steps are taken by the Government from time to time. Government is actively involved with various stakeholders including State Governments in order to improve the existing crop insurance schemes to protect the income of farmers due to loss of crops, assets, life etc.

(c) & (d): Yes, Madam. Keeping in view the requirements and agro-climatic conditions specific to each region, State Governments have been given the flexibility to develop suitable products for consideration and approval of the Central Government. At present, also States/ UTs are free to choose the Crop Insurance Schemes in operation now viz. National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS), Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS), Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) and Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme (CPIS). The States/UTs would be free to implement any of the schemes which have been approved by the Government of India.

(e): The existing crop insurance schemes envisages coverage of food crop, oilseeds, pulses, annual commercial/horticultural and some horticultural/ plantation crops for which yield data/weather data is available for sufficient number of years. Rubber plantation is not covered under any of the existing crop insurance schemes administered by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation. However, general insurance companies including Agriculture Insurance Company of India have their own insurance products for coverage of Rubber plantations.
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