Introduction
Chandigarh, 11th September: In a recent statement, the National Secretary of All India Congress Committee, former Union Minister, and former president of Haryana Congress, Kumari Selja has expressed her concern over the plight of farmers in the state. She has accused the BJP-JJP coalition government, which claims to be pro-farmer, of exploiting and oppressing the farmers the most.
Farmers Feeling Cheated
According to Selja, farmers in the state feel cheated. Despite paying premiums, they are left to wander for compensation as the government seems more concerned about the interests of insurance companies than those of the farmers. She further accused companies making hefty profits under government protection of refusing to insure crops in seven districts of the state and instructed banks to refund the deducted premium amount back into the farmers’ accounts.
Government’s Stand on Farmers
Selja questioned how the government could still consider itself a protector of farmers’ interests despite such circumstances. She pointed out the negligence of the coalition government which is causing the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme to fail in the state.
Failure of Crop Insurance Scheme
In a statement released to the media, Selja said that farmers’ crops in Hisar, Ambala, Gurugram, Jind, Karnal, Mahendragarh, and Sonipat will no longer be insured because no company has taken the tender for these districts this time.
Regarding the Crop Insurance Scheme-2023 Kharif PMFBY, a notice has been issued to return the deducted premium amount back into the accounts of those farmers from whom the premium for insurance was deducted. The agriculture and farmer welfare department’s advisor has also written a letter to the state level banker committee about this.
Companies Profiting at the Expense of Farmers
Selja claimed that insurance companies have made huge profits under government protection. Despite paying premiums, farmers had to wander to get compensation for their crops, and they even had to resort to sit-ins, demonstrations, and hunger strikes. She cited the example of farmers in Narayan Kheda village in Sirsa district who had to sit on a water tank for many days.
She also revealed that companies, including Reliance, that were introduced to help farmers, have earned more than 55 thousand crore. When farmers began to understand these companies’ policies and their collusion with the government, the companies are now not ready to insure the crops.
Government and Insurance Companies Backtracking
Selja pointed out that whenever farmers face a crisis, the government and insurance companies find excuses to backtrack. With crops drying up due to lack of rain and crops getting destroyed due to pink bollworm, the government has issued a notice to return the insurance premium to the farmers.
She reminded that when the crop insurance scheme was implemented, the government had extensively promoted it with large photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Now, the distressed farmer is asking only one question from the PM – why is he silent despite all this happening? Selja demanded that action should be taken against the companies that have betrayed the farmers.
