The news about Jammu and Kashmir gearing to take on board the new revised Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme is indeed good news.
As the government has already allocated the necessary funds and only awaits the final nod from the Government of India, this would be a great relief to the farmers and growers.
The Union Territory is all set to roll out the scheme which shows that they are proactive and farmer friendly.
They have kept their share of the premium that will be contributed to the scheme in the budget which is in itself a great gesture.
The government knows the challenges the state’s agricultural sector and farmers face and this shows that the government is sensitive to the needs of the farmers.
The news of the new insurance scheme being rolled out is a very positive one.
The scheme makes use of a weather index which is expected to make settlement of claims faster and more transparent than the previous methods. The farmers of Kashmir have suffered major losses due to severe hailstorms and unseasonal rains, so this insurance is a much needed support.
The fact that high value horticultural crops like apple and saffron have been included in the list is heartening.
Jammu and Kashmir is the single largest producer of apples in the country accounting for over 75% of total production. Besides being high value crops, they are also of immense importance as these support thousands of families in the valley. It is indeed a wise decision to include them in the list of insured crops.
By allocating the necessary budget for the share of premium that will be contributed to the insurance scheme, not only are they fulfilling the needs of the farmers but are also contributing to the development of the country. The initiative would help usher in a new era of modernized agriculture and insurance in the country.
Jammu and Kashmir should indeed be lauded for their decision and proactive step to provide support to the farmers. This would benefit not only the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also the country as the assured income from apple and other horticultural growers will give a fillip to the local economy.
