(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Nov 4 (KNN) Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed a comprehensive investigation into cases of extremely low crop insurance claim payouts under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), following complaints from farmers in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Chairing a high-level review meeting in New Delhi, Chouhan engaged virtually with affected farmers and questioned ministry officials and insurance company representatives over reported instances of claims as low as Rs 1, Rs 3 and Rs 5.

Calling such payouts a mockery of farmers, the minister said the government would not allow discrepancies in the claim-settlement process to continue.

Chouhan cited specific examples from his constituency in Sehore district, including cases where farmers were paid Rs 1 despite reported losses or received negligible payouts due to micro-percentage loss assessments.

He demanded transparency in damage evaluations and directed officials to amend PMFBY provisions where required to prevent inconsistencies.

Officials explained that some low claim values stemmed from farmers filing multiple applications for different fields and crops, leading to initial partial disbursements later adjusted after surveys.

Chouhan rejected this justification and called the situation confusing and harmful to the scheme's credibility.

The minister instructed the PMFBY CEO to conduct field-level verification in cases involving nominal payouts and review the accuracy of remote-sensing-based damage assessments.

He also mandated the presence of insurance company representatives during crop loss surveys to avoid irregularities and stressed timely settlement of claims.

Raising concerns over delays by certain states in releasing their share of insurance subsidies, Chouhan directed ministry officials to ensure compliance and reminded states that late contributions attract 12 percent interest.

Chouhan further called for improved technological integration to enhance transparency in crop loss assessment and claim processing, reiterating that PMFBY is intended to safeguard farmers against natural risks and must function effectively to maintain farmers' trust.

(KNN Bureau)

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