Due to the apathy of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, there were no insurance schemes available to the fishermen of the country in the financial year 2020-21. For the current year Babus of the Ministry think no fisherman in the country would meet with any eventuality. This is the height of callousness, to say the least!
The whole year was lost in the babus thinking whom to make the implementing agency for the scheme called Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) for fishers.
Finally, the ministry has nominated National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) the nodal agency for carrying out the job for the next year that is 2021-22. But a year has been lost.
Batting for the uninsured fishermen, the apex co-op body Fishcopfed wrote five letters at least for a decision of the Ministry. It argued that in the last five years alone it has settled claims worth Rs 38 crore and there is no reason for the govt to remove it from the job. Besides, the apex fisheries co-op body Fishcopfed had been doing for the last 38 years!
The scheme is funded by both the state and the Centre. While some of the states gave their share to Fishcopfed to do the job, the Centre vacillated and now after a lapse of more than six months made NFDB the nodal agency.
Interestingly, some of the states already gave their contributions to the Fishcopfed but the Ministry has yet to give its share. In one of the letters dated 15th October 2020 Fishcopfed wrote to the Ministry “It is to submit that most of the states have already remitted their state shares under the scheme. There is a need to remit the Central Share so that the policy may be started from the date of the receipt of the same. The proposal for Central share has already been submitted to the Ministry.”
The letter also reminds the Ministry “As you are kindly aware the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) for fishers of the country is being implemented through FISHCOPFED. The date of renewal of the policy was 1st June 2020. Due to nonreceipt of Central Share the aforesaid policy has not yet been renewed.”
In another letter it wrote “We have received fishers’ data, as on date, from 24 states and 7 UTs for covering 44,39,160 fishers as per the list enclosed. You are requested to kindly release the Central share immediately so that the poor fishers get the benefit of the Scheme. Since the cover has not been provided so far, the nominees shall be deprived of the insurance benefits during the intervening period.”
Now, the Ministry has asked the Fsihcopfed to return the money taken from the states under the scheme. A crest fallen MD of Fishcopfed B K Mishra said “we are preparing to return the money by next week; there is not much may be around Rs 1.2 crore”, he added.
Despite the setback Fishcopfed has applied to be a subagent for the job. Our application is lying with NFDB and we hope to do a part of its overall business, said Mishra.
Fishcopfed was indeed doing a good job of insuring farmers as this correspondent is a witness to the fact that the management of Fishcopfed would call both the parties- fishermen and Insurance companies in its AGMs and settle the matter then and there on many occasions.
Service charges of around Rs 2 crores are due from the nodal Ministry for implementing the insurance scheme.
If it is not a step-motherly treatment to co-operative, what else is this, asked several co-operators connected with fisheries co-ops.
