VIJAYAWADA: The previous YSRC government had cheated farmers in the name of a government insurance scheme, said Minister for Agriculture K Atchannaidu.
In response to a query from members in the Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Council on Thursday, the minister stated that while the previous NDA government implemented an effective insurance scheme between 2016 and 2019, the YSRC government, which came to power in 2019, rendered the crop insurance scheme defunct.
He noted that due to the negligence of the YSRC in paying insurance premiums, farmers have suffered significantly. “As the opposition, we strongly opposed the YSRC government’s approach to crop insurance. However, our objections and suggestions were ignored,” he said.
Atchannaidu explained that the previous government paid a premium for only one crop season, leading to farmer losses. “They announced the setting up of a government insurance company, but farmers were not covered under insurance. Later, the YSRC government claimed they did not get permission from the Centre to set up the insurance company. It has not paid Rs 1,287 crore to insurance companies, resulting in losses for the farmers,” he explained.
Taking into account the farmers’ plight, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu constituted a cabinet sub-committee, including the agriculture minister, finance minister, and civil supplies minister, to devise a better insurance policy for farmers. “This Kharif season, we will continue with the old insurance scheme, and from Rabi onwards, a new crop insurance policy will be implemented,” he said.
Atchannaidu praised Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan for his efforts before the elections in assisting the families of tenant farmers who died by suicide. “Pawan has helped those families by extending financial support from his own pocket. On the other hand, the previous government, with its Tenant Farmer Act of 2019, denied help to them,” he said.