Farmers Accident Insurance Scheme

Gopinath Munde Farmers Accident Insurance Scheme is a scheme announced by The Maharashtra Government on November 24, 2015. The farmer accident insurance scheme in Maharashtra is said to cover the accidental death or handicap of the farmers. The aim of the insurance scheme is to provide and ensure social and economic security to farmers and their families. However, there is uncertainty surrounding the eligibility of the scheme.

The scheme is applicable to benefit more than 1.37 crore farmers. Farmers belonging to the age group 10 to 75, would be eligible to avail of the benefits of the scheme in the Maharashtra state.

In this article, you will learn the eligibility and coverage of the scheme in more detail.

What will the scheme cover?

The scheme shall cover death or disability caused due to animal attacks, naxal attacks, murder, electric shocks, etc. With this scheme, farmers don’t have to pay a premium to any insurance company. Farmers suffering from the loss of eyes or limbs shall be given a compensation of 2 lakhs, whereas those suffering from partial disability shall be compensated with 1 lakh.

Some real-life incidents that are eligible under this scheme are given below:

1.) Accidental pesticide exposure

In the Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, Rekha Madavi, wife of Rushi Madavi, was not aware of the kind of pesticides her husband had been spraying over their cotton crop. On August 26, 2018, when Rushi returned after spraying pesticides on their 5-acre cotton farm in Pendhari Village, he complained about giddiness. After switching hospitals from Sawali to Gadchiroli, he passed away in the general hospital of Gadchiroli.

Bhimrao, 25, his youngest son, told the media that the death certificate mentioned Acute respiratory distress syndrome because of insecticidal poisoning, with hypotension and severe anemia. Accidental exposure to pesticides has caused the death of 135 farmers from the Yavatmal district. More cases have been reported across Maharashtra.

2.) Animal attacks

Another death was reported in Maharashtra’s Beed district. Nagnath Garge, a farmer residing in Surdi Village in Beed, was allegedly killed by a leopard. Garge was working in his field at the time of the attack. He was later found dead by a search team.

3.) Electric shocks

Three brothers in the Jalna district of Maharashtra died due to an electric shock at a well on their farm. The three farmer brothers went to water their crop in Palakshed Pimpli Village when the accident occurred.

Eligibility to avail of the farmer accident insurance scheme

• Farmers should be residing in the state of Maharashtra.
• Farmers with land ownership such as 7/12 land extracts are eligible under this scheme.
• Farmers should be between the age of 10-75 to become eligible for this scheme.

The farmer accident insurance scheme in Maharashtra is designed to protect the interests of farmers who are exposed to deadly chemicals, animal attacks, and accidents. Since farmers don’t need to pay a premium to an insurance company, they can easily avail the benefits of this scheme and keep their families financially protected regardless of their income.