New crop insurance will be more attractive: Minister

NEW DELHI: Agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh has said crop insurance will be more attractive and farmer friendly after a new crop insurance scheme early next year.
"Apart from extending scope and coverage in terms of area, crops and risk, the aim is to ensure premium rates that states and farmers have to pay comes down. Also we want the farmer to get immediate relief at least 25% at times of crop loss due to any natural disaster,"said Singh.
The minister said dependence on digital technology - drones and satellites- would increase to map farmland. The agriculture ministry has launched a pilot study for mapping farmland using space technology and geospatial technology that will help improve crop yield estimation and settle insurance claims faster.
Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC) is undertaking the pilot of the initiative called KISAN+ in four districts in Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra during kharif 2015 season, and eight districts in the same states during rabi 2015-16 season, minister of state of agriculture minister Mohanbhai Kalyanjibhai Kundaria said on Tuesday. KISAN+ project plans to use multi-parameter modelling for block level yield estimation. At some sample locations, unmanned aerial vehicle and drones will collect images. "Timely and accurate yield assessments are essential," Kundaria said in Parliament.