Lok Sabha Question No. 1279 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-18
Subject: Weather based Crop Insurance Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: UDIT RAJ

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1279

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 18 TH  DECEMBER, 2018

## WEATHER BASED CROP INSURANCE SCHEME

1279.      DR. UDIT RAJ:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  under  the  weather    based    crop    insurance    scheme    in Ganganagar,    Rajasthan,    2/3rd    of    the  beneficiaries  enrolled  do  not  exist  at  their  given addresses,  yet  pay-out  cheques  of Rs. 9.87  crore  were  distributed  through some  agents of  ICICI-Lombard  General Insurance Company of India and through discounting  of  cheques, pay-outs  were siphoned off, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether   similar    allegations    of  siphoning  of  around  Rs.  8-10  crore  as  payout    were made  by  an  ex-member  of Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha, vide his letter dated 8th  June,  2011 to the    Union  Agriculture  Minister,  that  as  per  the  agriculture  finance  corporation's  report  of January 2011 titled Evaluation  of  Pilot  WBCIS,  around  Rs. 113.50 crore premium was paid within  the  period  of  2007-10,  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (c) whether in view of the enrolment of ghost beneficiaries any steps have been taken by the Government for ascertaining the  total  fraudulent  enrolment and  ghost payouts  by  ICICILombard  General Insurance  Company  of  India,  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (d) the amount recovered from ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company of India?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

( a) to (d): Two cases relating to irregularities in coverage of non-loanee farmers during Rabi 2010-11 under erstwhile Pilot  Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme  (WBCIS)  in Sriganganagar  and  Hanumangarh  districts  were  reported  against  ICICI-Lombard  General Insurance  Company  Ltd.    Further,  a  reference  dated  08.06.2011  regarding  manipulation/ irregularities in payment of claims to the farmers in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan for Rabi 2010-11  season  under  Pilot  WBCIS  was  received  from  the  ex-member  of  Rajasthan  Vidhan Sabha.       As  the  State  Government  was  implementing  and  monitoring  the  scheme  at  the grassroot  level,  it  was  asked  to  verify  the  concerned  non-loanee  farmers  individually  and immediately  settle  the  claims  of  genuine  farmers.   On  the  basis  of  the  verification,  claims  of enrollments  found  genuine  were  settled.  Further,  ICICI-Lombard  refunded  an  amount  of Rs.11,15,134 being Central share of premium subsidy in respect of 381 farmers, which were not found  genuine.    ICICI-Lombard,  on  the  basis  of  the  findings  of  the  investigation,  lodged complaints at Jawaharnagar Police Station, District Sriganganagar vide FIR No. 142/2014 and 143/2014 dated February, 2014 against their agents. The complete report in the matter has not been provided by the State Government.

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