Summary:
MUMBAI: The state government has found major irregularities in the area under crop insurance for this year’s rabi or winter crop season. The average area insured in the rabi season in the state is around 10-12 lakh hectares. However, in 2015-16, a year of severe drought, the area under rabi crops that was insured was 24.55 lakh hectares. According to norms, a farmer has to get a crop certificate from the local revenue official (talathi) stating the area under cultivation and under which crop or crops, before he can get the crop insured. It is assumed that the talathi visits every farm for inspection and then hands out these certificates..