’Pradhanmantri Phasal Bima Yojana’ faulted by JD(S)

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 12,2017: Speaking to media, Janata Dal (Secular) leader S L Bhoje Gowda charged that Pradhanmantri Bhima Phasal Yojana is a fraud scheme as the insurance premium is collected by a private company, which lacks credibility.

 Bhoje Gowda charged that the Union government has roped in a fake company which is allegedly owned by business man Adani to collect the premium, from the farmers to insure their crop. Sadly, the mandatory requirements to claim the compensation is in fact hilarious which is not suitable for the terrain in this part of the area. The damages like cloud bursts, landslide which are rare phenomenon in this area is made the requirements to claim the compensation. The company has collected crores of premium, he alleged.

Stating that he had approached the court and has brought a stay order demanding the options for the farmers. He also sought to know the reason for selecting a private company and not the government affiliated insurance company and added that in Karnataka, around Rs 1,600 crore is collected as premium. As many as 6,466 farmers have paid Rs 1.31 crore as the premium amount in some parts of Karnataka, of which only Rs 3.96 crore is given away as the compensation to 27 farmers, he added.

A farmer has to pay Rs 15,000 as the premium amount for Rs 1 lakh, which is not fair, he said.

Demanding the state government to deposit Rs 8,165 crore, the amount assured to the farmers following the loan waiver, the JD(S) leader said that the government is yet to credit the amount. Most of the farmers have renewed the loans and the interest rate is not more. Despite being aware that the farmers are under distress, the state government has failed to take initiatives. He questioned whether it is for 2016-17 or 2017-18? Rs 11,500 crore loan was borrowed by the farmers, Rs 11,281 crore is already deposited. The present year is already showing all signs of impending severe drought, he noted.

Bhoje Gowda urged the BJP leaders to convince the government in the Centre to waive the loans as there is Rs 38,000 crore loan in the nationalised banks. The local BJP leaders should raise the issue of the farmers’ problems and try to make the Union government to waive the loan, he demanded.

He said that the state government should make it clear whether it is interested to provide the Seventh Pay Commission facilities to the employees. Appointing a committee to look into the recommendations of Kumar Naik Committee is ridiculous. The government is just planning to delay the issue and finally when the elections are announced, the poll code of conduct will be the reason to drop the proposal.