Govt's flagship scheme to provide cover for crop damage by animals

The Union government has decided to expand the ambit of the PM Fasal Bima Yojana, the flagship farm insurance scheme, to include crop damage by animals as a ground for payouts, a long-standing demand by farmers, an official said on Monday.

- Zia Haq

NEW DELHI:

Animals are reported to widely destroy standing crops across seasons in a lot of states and farmers have often highlighted the need to cover such damages under insurance claims. Experts say animal protection laws in many states, which prohibit interstate trade in cattle, have led to an increase in its population. The government runs a centrally sponsored scheme for care and protection of various breeds of cows and buffaloes. Yet, stray cattle remains a problem for farmers.

Conservationists say destruction of wildlife habitat, such as encroachment of elephant corridors, has also increased human-animal conflicts, leading to loss of lives, property and crops in states such as West Bengal, Kerala and Assam.