Premium payment deadline looms, 92 per cent of samba paddy cultivation in Thanjavur yet to be insured

THANJAVUR: The cut-off date for farmers to pay premium is hardly 10 days away but only about 8% of the acreage under which samba and thalady paddy cultivation has been undertaken in the district has been insured so far, official data revealed. While last year’s coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana stood at more than 90%, a section of farmers attribute this year’s low figure to the “disappointment” over the “declining” number of claims honoured by insurance companies. While more farmers are expected to insure their crop as the cut-off date of November 15 for payment of premium nears, R Sukumaran, a farmer from Orathanadu, said the coverage would still fall below last year's figure of 90%. Offering reasons, he said, "Last year farmers paid the insurance premium as the water release from Mettur dam was stopped in October itself, instead of the customary date of January 28, due to poor flow."