Agriculture department to investigate into crop insurance

Aurangabad, June 9:

About 1 lakh farmers' crops who were insured by the central government-appointed companies in Sillod and Soygaon tehsils have still not received any compensation. A demand to investigate the matter was made to state agriculture minister Dada Bhuse on May 30. The matter will be investigated by the agriculture commissionerate, said agriculture officer Tukaram Mote.

Minister of State Abdul Sattar had lodged a complaint with the agriculture minister alleging that the tehsildar and the tehsil agriculture officer were responsible for the matter. Sattar had said that the insurance companies have not paid any compensation to the farmers. But the policies have the signatures of tehsildar, insurance company representative and agriculture officer. He had warned them to protest if no action was taken against them. About 1 lakh farmers have been deprived of crop insurance. At least 8 lakh farmers paid Rs 38 crore as insurance to HDFC Ergo insurance company, but only 1.30 lakh farmers got the benefit of insurance. Cotton, maize, soybean and other crops were lost in the district. The farmers demand for full compensation from the insurance company has not been met till date.