Chief Minister urges Modi to extend deadline for paying crop insurance premium

“The Chief Minister has written a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to extend the deadline for payment of premium for crop insurance for the farmers who re were affected by the cyclone. The deadline for the payment of the premium was November 30 but as the affected farmers are not in a situation to pay, Palaniswami had asked the Centre to extend the deadline to December 31,” said a higher official attached to Agriculture Department, requesting anonymity.

Cyclone Gaja wreaked havoc in 12 districts claiming large number of lives and damaging properties including crops cultivated in several lakh acres and several lakh trees. The cyclone had completely destroyed the livelihood of farmers in the Delta districts and the affected farmers sought extension of deadline for paying the premium amount.

Considering the plight of farmers, the opposition parties had demanded the state and central governments to extend the deadline for paying premium amount for crop insurance. Therefore, As demanded by the farmers and opposition parties, Palaniswami had sought the extension of the deadline.

According to the official, two important reasons were cited for seeking the extension. First was the situation of the farmers and second being the shortage of Revenue Department officials.

“The VAOs entrusted with the task of assessing the crops cultivated by the farmers under crop insurance scheme and distributing Adangal, a certificate of cultivation given by government, are now busy in cyclone relief works and therefore, citing the shortage of Revenue officials, the CM had sought extension of time,” said the official.