Demand to furnish full info of insurance firms

Varadharajan, state vice president, MDMK (Farmers Wing), said the insurance process for the Rabi crop for 2017-18 had commenced on November 1, 2017, and would go on till February 15, 2018.

Until last year, the farmers had paid the insurance amount in the local cooperative agencies but because of many irregularities, such as delay in giving the insurance amount, providing the amount twice for the same land and insuring the same land in more than one company, the premium amount is now paid at government e-seva counters.

When crop insurance is paid under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana, all the details of the farmers such as photocopies of their bank passbooks, Aadhaar card number, caste certificates, contact numbers and even fingerprints are obtained and included in their account.

But in the receipt provided to farmers, only the name of the private insurance company is given and no other details such as the steps involved in calculating insurance, contact numbers, e-mail ids are available.

The farmers are puzzled as to why they are not informed about the insurance calculation process and the details related to the company.

The lack of transparency makes them suspicious, said Varadharajan.