After over a year of struggle, the farmers in Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri are set to get insurance claims of about Rs 255 crore for crop losses as the Haryana State Grievances Redressal Committee (SGRC) has directed Kshema general insurance company to disburse crop insurance claims to cotton farmers in the Dadri districts on the basis of actual average yield obtained through Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs).
It stated that a large number of farmers had been deprived of their “rightful insurance claim" due to the replacement of CCE-based yield data with technology-based yield estimates during Kharif 2023.
The decision was taken in the 15th meeting of the SGRC on May 11 chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Vijayendra Kumar. The matter had reached the committee through a series of representations submitted by farmer organisations, including Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha Haryana, and farmers seeking a review of an earlier decision taken by the State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) on August 20, 2024.
The farmers had approached the former agriculture minister JP Dalal who took up the matter with the state government. A complainant Dr Ram Kanwar said that after Dalal’s intervention, the state government finally constituted SGRC which had taken the decision now. The farmers in Bhiwani will get Rs 213 crore and Rs 42 crore.
The dispute related to insurance claim calculations in 158 Insurance Units of cotton crop in Bhiwani district and 135 Insurance Units in Charkhi Dadri district. Farmer representatives argued that claims should be settled on the basis of Actual Average Yield obtained through Crop Cutting Experiments rather than technology-based yield estimates.
After examining submissions from farmers, Deputy Directors of Agriculture of both districts and Kshema GIC, the committee observed that the disputes centered on the legality and methodology of determination of Technology based yield for the Cotton crop.
The SGRC stated that the CCEs were conducted as per norms and Kshema GIC has not been raised objections within the mandatory timelines prescribed. Referring to PMFBY provisions, the committee recorded that erroneous CCEs data or yield may be objected within two hours of conduct of CCEs through CCE Agri App and that the Insurance Company can raise objection on survey of Crop Cutting Experiment within 96 hours.
The committee observed that Kshema GIC had not substantiate village-wise objections before DLMC Bhiwani and had raised objections in 220 Insurance Units, including 158 cotton Insurance Units, without specifying any reason of objection on January 22, 2024.
The SGRC also recorded that during the District Level Monitoring Committee meeting held on January 29, 2024, the Kshema GIC failed to substantiate its objections had neither released the claims nor filed any appeal within 15 days or later on.
The SGRC observed that technology-based yield will be used as weighted average of CCEs and technology based yield in 70:30 ratio in wheat and paddy crop only. The committee said that for other crops, the average yield will be calculated on the basis of CCEs.
Kisan Sabha leader Inderjit Singh demanded that the company should immediately disburse the amount to the farmers.
