Punjab BJP Chief Urges Crop Insurance Scheme Launch Ahead of Assembly Session
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Chandigarh, April 10 (NationPress) The President of Punjab BJP, Sunil Jakhar, urged the state administration on Friday to declare the initiation of a crop insurance scheme for farmers during the upcoming special Vidhan Sabha session set for April 13.
He has also addressed a letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann regarding this matter.
Jakhar highlighted that although the central government has already put a crop insurance scheme into action, the state government has yet to announce its implementation.
“This delay by the Chief Minister represents a significant injustice towards farmers,” he stated.
He pointed out that farmers in Punjab are currently grappling with serious natural adversities, including untimely rains and hailstorms that have resulted in widespread crop destruction. Earlier, the floods of 2023 and 2025 had already wreaked havoc, and many farmers are still awaiting compensation due to the absence of a crop insurance scheme in Punjab.
“Even now, farmers are anxious about how to recover from their losses caused by such calamities,” he mentioned.
Jakhar reminded the Chief Minister that three years ago, it was pledged that the state government would introduce its own agricultural insurance scheme to replace the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana from the central government.
However, despite the passage of three years and farmers incurring losses amounting to thousands of crores, the promised scheme remains elusive.
He emphasized that with the special Assembly session approaching on April 13, the Chief Minister should honor his commitment by announcing Punjab’s own crop insurance scheme during this session, enabling farmers to receive compensation in the wake of natural disasters.
Moreover, he suggested that if the financial situation of the state is lacking, the government should promptly adopt the central government's crop insurance scheme, which is already functioning effectively in other states and has proven advantageous for farmers.
During his address to the media, Jakhar proposed that instead of investing heavily in advertisements, the government should redirect funds from the already burdened state treasury to cover the insurance premiums for farmers. He also called for the immediate release of the pending DA for employees and pensioners.