‘Deducted’ premium, but did not deposit it with insurance firm

Hisar :
Farmers of six villages in the district locked the local branch of the Bank of Baroda in Bhatol Jatan village on Monday in protest against the deduction of premium under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) without extending the benefit of insurance to their crops.

About 100 farmers of Bhatol Jatan, Bhatol Rangdan, Kharkhara, Jeetpura, Bhadala, Kharbala and Seesar villages complained the bank had deducted the premium during the 2017 kharif season from their accounts.

They were, however, informed later that they were not covered under the crop insurance scheme as the premium was not deposited with the insurance firm.

The farmers alleged the bank did not deposit the premium amount with the insurance firm. When their crops were damaged and they approached the insurance firm for compensation under the PMFBY, their claims were denied.

Farmers locked the main gate of the bank, demanding resolution of their problem.

They said they would not let the bank function if their problem was not resolved within three days.

Later, Additional General Manager Sarvjeet Singh, senior manager Subhash Dhaka and agricultural officer Subhash Bansal reached the village and held talks with the farmers.

The bank officials gave a written assurance to the farmers that they would ensure that the insurance firm compensated them. “If the insurance firm denies the compensation claim, the bank will disburse the compensation to affected farmers,” the written statement by branch manager Ravinder Pal reads.

The farmers agreed to call off the protest, giving three months to the bank to settle their compensation claims. They threatened to resume the agitation of the claims were not settled in three months.