The Ranchi based Birsa Agriculture University on Wednesday held a workshop on ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

In fact,the Union Cabinet had early this year launched the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme.As per this scheme,slated to come into force from the current kharif season,the prime rates to be paid by farmers were brought down substantially so as to enable more farmers avail insurance cover against crop loss on account of natural calamities.

In fact,under the new scheme,farmers will have to pay a uniform premium of two percent for all kharif crops and 1.5 percent for all rabi crops.For annual commercial and horticultural crops,farmers will have to pay a premium of 5 percent.The remaining share of the premium,as in previous schemes,will contiune to be brone equally by the Centre and the respective state governments.

“In the past,many farmers across the country had complained that they had to pay a premium share of as high as 15 percent in several areas in the country.They had sought to bring it down.As such,the Government of India’s move to bring it down was a major pro farmer policy outreach”,said Jharkhand Minister Saryu Rai.

The workshop was attended among others by Rai along with Chairman Jharkhand Committee PHD Chamber Pawan Bajaj, Chairman Insurance Committee and CEO & MD IFFCO TOKYO General Insurance Yogesh Lohiya, Vice Chancellor, Birsa Agriculture University Dr. George John, Director Ministry of Agriculture GoJ Jata Shankar Chaudhary.