17.61 crore farmers covered under crop insurance scheme NAIS: Government

NEW DELHI: The government today said it has covered 17.61 crore farmers tilling an area of 26.27 million hectares under the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme ( NAIS) till Rabi 2010-11.

"1761 lakh farmers have been covered under National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS) from Rabi 1999-2000 to Rabi 2010-11," an official statement said.

The government has settled claims worth Rs 21,459 crore under the scheme during last 23 crop seasons benefiting 4.76 crore farmers, it added.

Coverage under NAIS, which is presently being implemented in 25 states and two union territories, has gone up from 1.05 crore farmers in 2000-01 to 17.61 crore in 2010-11.

The major beneficiary states under NAIS are Maharashtra (2.79 crore farmers) followed by Andhra Pradesh (2.49 crore farmers), Madhya Pradesh (2.17 crore farmers), Uttar Pradesh (1.87 crore farmers) and Rajasthan (1.50 crore farmers).

The scheme -- running since the 1999-2000 rabi crop year -- is being implemented by the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC) and it aims to protect farmers against crop losses suffered on account of natural calamities like drought, flood, cyclone, pests and diseases.

The government has also implemented a Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme ( MNAIS) on a pilot basis in 50 districts from the 2010-11 Rabi crop year in the country to check the shortcomings in the NAIS.