Minister rages as crop insurers hand farmers Rs 1
A federal cabinet member has directed insurers to immediately address payment irregularities affecting farmers enrolled in a national crop protection program after some claimants received compensation as small as one rupee. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who oversees agricultural policy, convened a meeting on Monday in the capital to review the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and ordered full investigations into cases where payout amounts appeared absurdly low despite documented harvest damage.
The minister spoke with growers from Maharashtra through virtual connections and questioned state and federal administrators about calculation discrepancies. He cited instances from his home district in Madhya Pradesh where enrolled participants obtained nominal sums despite verified losses. Chouhan described such outcomes as unjust and warned that responsible parties would face consequences.
Officials received instructions to dispatch program administrators into affected areas to examine every case involving payments between one and five rupees. The minister mandated that company representatives attend damage assessments to maintain accountability. He noted that delayed subsidy contributions from regional governments were blocking claim distributions and announced that late payments would incur 12 percent interest charges. Chouhan emphasized that disbursements must occur promptly and completely, while technological tools should enhance program transparency.
