El Nino Crop Damage Compensation: These days, scientists and meteorological departments are continuously warning about El Nino. It is believed that due to its effect, there may be less than normal rainfall in many areas, due to which the risk of damage to Kharif crops has increased. In such a situation, the biggest question in the minds of farmers is that if there is a drought or the crop gets damaged due to weather, then how will the loss be compensated. To reduce this concern of the farmers, the Central Government is running the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme. Under this scheme, financial assistance is given to farmers in case their crops get damaged due to natural disaster, drought, flood, hailstorm or other weather related reasons. So let us know how the government gives compensation even if the crop gets damaged due to El Nino and how the farmers get the benefit.

What is El Nino and why is it a cause of concern for farmers?

El Nino is a weather condition in which the temperature in some parts of the Pacific Ocean increases more than normal. It affects the weather of many countries of the world. During El Nino in India, conditions like less rain, more heat and drought are often seen. If the monsoon weakens, both sowing and production of crops may be affected. This is the reason why the worry of farmers increases as soon as the name of El Nino comes up.

Even if crops get damaged due to El Nino, how does the government provide compensation?

The central government provides compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana for crop damage due to El Niño. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is an important scheme of the Central Government, whose objective is to provide financial security to farmers against crop losses due to natural disasters. If the crop gets damaged due to drought, flood, cyclone, heavy rain, hailstorm or any other natural cause, then the insurance company compensates the farmers as per the prescribed rules. This helps the farmers to come out of the economic crisis. The biggest feature of this scheme is that farmers have to pay very low premium. In this, only 2 percent premium has to be paid for Kharif crops and 1.5 percent premium for Rabi crops. For horticulture and business crops, a maximum premium of 5 percent has to be paid.

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How do farmers get benefits?

If there is damage to the crop due to El Nino or any other natural disaster, the farmer should inform it as soon as possible. According to the rules, information about the loss has to be given within 72 hours. Farmers can give this information to the insurance company, agriculture department or on the toll-free helpline. After receiving the information, the concerned officials inspect the fields and assess the damage. After the report is prepared, the compensation amount is sent directly to the bank accounts of eligible farmers.

How to check the status of your claim?

After filing the crop insurance claim, farmers can also check its status online. For this they will have to go to the website of PM Crop Insurance Scheme. After this the Application Status option has to be selected. Then the application number or receipt number has to be entered and finally the farmer can see the complete details of his claim online.

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In the year 2023, heavy rains and floods wreaked havoc in many areas of Punjab. The water of Sutlej river spread into the lands on its banks and farmers’ crops were destroyed. The situation was similar in Kilche village of Firozpur district. In this flood, the lives of three brothers Joginder Singh, Gurmej Singh and Chhinder Singh completely changed. These three brothers were taking their tractor to a higher place so that it could be saved from the flood water, but suddenly the strong current of the Sutlej river came over them and swept them away. His family had no idea where these people were. After a few days, he received news from Pakistan that the three brothers had reached there.

Three youths from Punjab had reached Pakistan after being swept away in the flood.

Joginder Singh told that his farm was very close to the border. The tractor was stuck in water. When they went to take it out, they were swept away by the strong current of the river and reached Pakistan. There some people were holding us and asking us to sit and called the police. We were blindfolded and the police took us away. We were beaten up for the first four-five days, Joginder recalled.

He said that he had not come with the intention of going to Pakistan. When the police were convinced of this, the fighting was stopped. After this he was first sent to Kasur jail and then to Lahore jail. He was kept separate in jail and was not allowed to meet Indian prisoners. Joginder also told that it was only after about 15 months that he got permission to talk to his family once a week. At that time he came to know that his father had died.

family pain and troubles

Joginder’s wife Saroj Rani told that after 25 days, she came to know from news channels and reports that her husband had reached Pakistan after being swept away in the flood. Earlier he had lodged a missing report. He further told that Joginder works as a foreman on harvesting machines and the three brothers together cultivate eight acres of land. Due to the flood, a part of the field was washed away in the river and four acres of wheat crop was also drowned. Amidst this difficulty, his family was breaking down mentally and financially.

How did you return from Pakistan?

Gurmej Singh told that as soon as he reached Pakistan, the local people caught him and handed him over to the police. In the beginning there were beatings, but later we were given the same food as other prisoners, he said, adding that initially he had no hope of coming back. When the news of his return was received, I could not sleep for two days due to joy. Gurmej’s mother Manjeet Kaur said, we kept praying every day. Our life was incomplete without our son.

Government and legal process

Advocate Mehar Singh Mall said that people who accidentally reach Pakistan due to flood or other reasons, are investigated by the security agencies there and then the Border Security Force (BSF) of India is contacted. When it is proved that someone’s intention to go there was not intentional, then Pakistan sends them back to India. There is no fixed time for return. It completely depends on the investigation.

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