VIJAYAWADA: Farmers affected by Cyclone Arnab must complete e-KYC verification of their e-Crop Booking details to become eligible for crop insurance claims, with the Agriculture Department directing field officials to expedite the process. Agriculture Director Dr Manazir Jeelani Samoon stressed the need to ensure that no eligible farmer misses out on insurance benefits due to incomplete verification.
He said e-Crop Booking had been completed for 98 per cent of the cultivated area across the five erstwhile Godavari districts, but e-KYC verification had reached only 74 per cent. Officials have been asked to create awareness among farmers and complete the remaining verification on priority, particularly in the five Godavari-region districts and other cyclone-affected areas.
The Director also instructed officials to expedite crop damage enumeration and registration and take up immediate restoration measures. These include draining stagnant rainwater by opening breaches in field bunds and spraying 5 per cent salt solution on lodged crops.
The Rythanna Meekosam campaign, commencing November 2, should focus on educating farmers about crop insurance, input subsidy assistance, Farmer IDs and crop restoration measures. The campaign must be conducted in accordance with the Model Code of Conduct, without the participation of political representatives.
He urged farmers to enrol for Rabi crop insurance in view of the possibility of extreme weather events, including cyclones, floods, drought and high temperatures.
Farmer IDs will be mandatory for the procurement of paddy, cotton, green gram, red gram, black gram and other notified crops. They will also be required for purchasing fertilisers under the new Fertiliser Sales System from the Rabi season. The government is extending the facility to landless tenant farmers as well.
