Despite high claims ratio (1:3.3) and low premium rates, particularly for food and
oilseeds crops, farmers (particularly non-loanee farmers) are not coming forward to avail
of crop insurance in a big way. To overcome some of the limitations and to make the
scheme more farmer-friendly, a Joint Group was constituted to suggest improvements
required in the existing crop insurance schemes. The Group made an in-depth study
and has made important recommendations like reduction in the unit area of insurance
to gram panchayat for major crops, improving the basis of calculation of threshold yield,
higher indemnity level coverage of pre-sowing/planting risks and post-harvest losses,
personal accident insurance cover, and so on. Based on the recommendations of the
Natural Resources and Infrastructure Development Programmes
Joint Group and views/comments of various stakeholders, the existing NAIS was to be
modified by the Go I 2008-09.6