Sat Singh
Tribune News Service
Bhiwani, October 5
Several farmers of the district have complained that they are being forced to pay the premium under the Pradanmantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for the crops they have not sown.
Rajesh Kumar, a farmer from Kharkadi village, had taken loan for his cotton crop from HDFC Bank in 2013. He told The Tribune that he was asked by the bank to pay a premium of Rs 2,592 for insuring this season cotton crop under the PMFBY. He told them that he had sown guar and bajra this season, which were not covered under the scheme. He said the bank officials refused to listen to him and asked him to pay the loan premium at the earliest or be ready to be declared a defaulter.
Similarly, Joginder Kumar of Pitodhi village said he had sown guar and moong, but bank had been forcing him to pay a premium for cotton. He said the bank officials did not even visit the fields to assess the situation.
According to the norms of the PMFBY, banks have to insure farmers who have sown maize, rice, bajra and cotton and ask them for premiums. Sources said instead of conducting a survey, bank officials were making farmers pay the premium for the crops they have not sown this year.
Tosham HDFC Manager Aman Kumar admitted that farmers were coming with such complaints, but added that they were insuring farmers under the scheme based on their girdawari deposited by them at the time of loan.
Meanwhile, farmers have handed over a complaint to the Tosham SDM to inquire the matter.
