AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court has rejected the government's survey report on crop insurance compensation. After the heavy rains in Gujarat in 2017 and 2018, the government surveyed to determine compensation for farmers who suffered agricultural losses.
However, the High Court found the survey to be inadequate for compensating eligible farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. the High Court to instruct the state government to produce a new report.
The High Court noted that the government's committee had compiled a biased report for farmers eligible under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana without considering their input. In addressing the petitioners' claims, the High Court found that the committee had not provided an opportunity for a hearing.
Consequently, the court instructed that the details be resubmitted via affidavit within the next two weeks and scheduled the next hearing for July 26.
Kisan Congress Chairman Palbhai Ambalia has praised the Gujarat High Court's decision on crop insurance. Ambalia pointed out that while farmers had paid the crop insurance premium, they did not receive the corresponding benefits. Despite presenting the relevant figures to the government, crop insurance was not provided to the farmers.
Kisan Congress Chairman Palbhai Ambalia alleged, "The Gujarat High Court has validated our stance. Today, the High Court affirmed what we've been voicing for the past eight years. This marks the second instance where the High Court has reprimanded the Gujarat government on the issue of crop insurance. Previously, the High Court had even likened the government's actions to those of an alien entity."
He further said, "The government is protecting private crop insurance companies at the expense of poor farmers. They've overstepped guidelines by forming a technical committee that altered crop damage figures to benefit the insurance company. The government has admitted to these changes in an affidavit and acknowledged the formation of the technical committee under oath.”
He said that all of this raises the question of who the government is serving, the farmers or the private companies; should the government provide crop insurance based on premiums paid by farmers or prioritise the interests of private crop insurance companies.