Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal

Bantwal, Feb 27: Due to the poor condition of rain gauge centres located within the jurisdiction of gram panchayats, serious confusion has arisen in the distribution of compensation under the weather-based crop insurance scheme. In this regard, Siddakatte Primary Agricultural Credit Co-operative Society president Prabhakar Prabhu has written to the horticulture minister urging the government to pay attention to maintaining all rain gauge centres in gram panchayats in proper condition.

It has come to notice that many farmers who paid the premium under the weather-based crop insurance scheme for the year 2024-25 have not received adequate compensation. When the concerned officials were questioned in this regard, they clarified that compensation was provided based on the rainfall data recorded at the rain gauge centres.

However, it has been learnt that in several gram panchayats the rain gauge centres are not functioning properly and are in a dilapidated condition. As a result, in some taluks of the coastal region, farmers have received compensation that is lower than the premium they paid. This has pushed thousands of farmers into financial distress, and they are expressing dissatisfaction over the government’s measures.

In this context, Prabhu has urged in his letter that the government should take urgent steps to ensure that the rain gauge centres in every gram panchayat are inspected on a monthly basis under the supervision of revenue or panchayat development officers at the panchayat level and kept in proper working condition.