In a bid to address prolonged delays in crop insurance payouts, the district-level monitoring committee (DLMC) has directed a private insurance firm to expedite the disbursement of pending claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in Hisar. Nearly 50% of eligible claims remain unsettled, causing financial distress to farmers.
At a meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Aneesh Yadav, officials reviewed insurance claim settlements for kharif 2022 and rabi 2022-23 seasons. DC Yadav instructed the insurer to clear all outstanding claims without further delay to ensure that farmers receive their rightful compensation.
Vimal Mishra, a representative of the insurance company, assured the committee that the firm would process claims in accordance with policy guidelines.
Unresolved Claims and Discrepancies
Official records indicate that out of 22,213 farmers who applied for claims, 4,693 cases remain unsettled. Additionally, only half of the eligible claims for the season have been processed and disbursed.
One of the major concerns raised in the meeting was the rejection of claims for mustard crop damage in Lohari Ragho village. Many farmers reported that their policies were either denied or only partially approved due to survey delays. The committee has now directed the insurer to reassess these claims and provide compensation to affected farmers.
Further discrepancies were reported in Masudpur, Chaudharywas, and Sisai Kalan villages. In Masudpur, only 17 out of 81 claims were approved, despite official reports confirming severe mustard crop damage. Similar inconsistencies were flagged in Chaudharywas and Sisai Kalan, prompting the committee to insist on a fair and transparent settlement process.
Clerical Errors Impacting Farmers
The meeting also uncovered that 13 farmers had their claims rejected due to clerical errors. The DLMC has instructed officials to rectify these mistakes immediately, ensuring that the affected farmers receive their rightful compensation without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
The directive marks a significant push toward reducing delays and addressing grievances in crop insurance settlements, bringing much-needed relief to the farming community in Hisar.
