Andhra Pradesh government decides to join Centre's PM Fasal Bima Yojana

VIJAYAWADA: The State government, which is implementing the YSR free crop insurance scheme to extend aid to farmers suffering crop loss due to natural calamities, has arrived at a decision in principle to be part of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) being implemented by the Centre.

During an interaction with a delegation, led by Union Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja, which called on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office on Wednesday, the latter said that the State will join PMFBY of the Centre once a better model is created to ensure maximum benefits to farmers.

The delegation comprising Union Agriculture Secretary Ahuja, PMFBY CEO and Joint Secretary Ritesh Chauhan, Assistant Commissioner (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare) K Sunil and Nodal Officer Ajay Karan, discussed the issues related to agriculture and farmers' welfare with the Chief Minister.

Earlier in the day, the delegation visited the integrated call centre at Gannavaram, Rythu Bharosa Kendram (RBK) at Vanukuru and integrated agrilab at Kankipadu. While sharing its field visit experience with the CM, the delegation lauded the steps being taken up by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for the development of agriculture sector and welfare of farmers. 

The Agriculture Secretary complimented the AP government for using technology in agriculture for the implementation of e-crop, issuance of CCRC cards to tenant farmers and appointment of banking correspondents at RBKs.

Ahuja commended the efforts of the State government in education and health sectors. Jagan explained Rythu Bharosa, free crop insurance, price stabilisation fund and other schemes being implemented by the State government to the Central team.