Congress fumes over Gujarat government's advertisement

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Arjun Modhwadia on Thursday slammed the state government for its advertisement on revised rates of premium on agricultural insurance to be paid by farmers, terming it "misleading" and "anti farmer".

"As per the advertisement published in newspapers today, there is an unusual increase in the premium to be paid by the state's farmers under the agricultural insurance scheme to be implemented by state government. Earlier, the rate of premium for groundnut farming was 3.5 per cent, which has been increased to 12.5 per cent. Similarly, premium has been increased for several other items," Modhwadia told reporters during a press meet.

Called "Important announcement for farmers", the advertisement claimed that the Centre has decided to implement the Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS) across all states.

The advertisement drew farmers' attention about the increase in MNAIS premium rates which would replace NAIS, which had lesser premium rates. Against old rates ranging from 1.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent, new premium rates range from six per cent to 12 per cent.

When pointed out that MNAIS is a central government initiative and not a state matter, Modhwadia claimed that the state government had the power not to accept or implement such "anti-farmer" schemes in Gujarat.

"The Guajrat state government could have opted not to implement such scheme. The scheme also has a provision where the state can bear extra burden through subsidy to farmers, but there is no clarity about subsidy in the advertisement," Modhwadia said, demanding withdrawal of the advertisement as well as the new premium rates.

"We demand that the Gujarat state government withdraw the malicious advertisement immediately and continue the old premium rates on agriculture insurance," Modhwadia said.

On the other hand, the BJP also hit out at the Central government for introducing the revised scheme and said that it is discriminatory towards farmers.

"Instead of giving the work of crop insurance to a state-owned company, the central government has given it to ten different private sector companies. We have strong objections to it," BJP leader Purshottam Rupala said.

"The Gujarat government has asked the Centre not to implement the new crop insurance scheme but to continue with the old one," he said.