Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has approved the implementation of Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) for horticulture crops during the Rabi and Kharif 2014-15 in the state.

While giving this information here today, a spokesman of the State Horticulture Department said the scheme will cover fruit crops like mango, citrus, guava, ber, aonla, litchi and vegetables of onion, tomato, peas, carrot, ladyfinger, cabbage, cucurbits, potato, cauliflower.

He said under the scheme, 50 per cent of the total premium would be paid by the insured cultivator and the balance would be borne equally by the Central and state governments.

All the financial liabilities of subsidy would be shared between the Central and the State government in the ratio of 50:50.

He said the objective of the scheme is to provide insurance cover and financial support to the farmers in the event of failure of crops as a result of unfavorable weather conditions like excessive or deficit rainfall, frost, heat, relative humidity for fruit and vegetable crops.

Also, it would encourage farmers to adopt progressive farming practices, high value inputs and higher technology in horticulture and help them in stabilising farm incomes, particularly in a year of disaster, if any.

He said all the farmers including small and marginal, women, tenant farmers would be covered under the scheme.

It would be compulsory for loanee farmers to get themselves enrolled for the scheme, but non-loanee farmers could join it voluntarily.

Source - http://www.business-standard.com/