Weather-based crop insurance scheme to be launched in Bengal soon

A pilot Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) for non-loanee farmers will be launched in West Bengal soon by a private general insurance company.

HDFC ERGO GIC Ltd has said it will implement a pilot WBCIS for non-loanee farmers in Bankura, Burdwan, East Midnapur, West Midnapur, Hooghly, Howrah, Nadia and South 24 Paraganas districts of West Bengal in the 2011 kharif crop season.

Crop covered under the scheme is aman paddy. The scheme offers farmers insurance cover against losses due to aberrant weather conditions during the crop cycle.

Claim amount will be settled on the basis of data taken from reference weather stations mentioned in the scheme and managed by an independent third party organisation.

The scheme is expected to help farmers, as sowing of paddy crops has just started.