Chhattisgarh Agriculture Development and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ramvichar Netam reviews pending horticultural crop insurance claims with departmental and insurance officials at his office in Raipur on Friday, October 16, 2026. Acting on complaints received from farmers of Chiddon village in Rajnandgaon district, the Minister directed officials to release approximately ₹3.8 crore in approved insurance claims to 8,444 farmers within three working days. Photo:channel24india.com via CG/DPR

Acting within 24 hours of receiving complaints from farmers in Rajnandgaon, Agriculture Minister Ramvichar Netam directs departmental and insurance officials to clear pending horticultural crop insurance claims under the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme, ensuring timely financial relief to eligible beneficiaries.

Key Highlights

• Agriculture Minister Ramvichar Netam orders payment of pending crop insurance claims within three working days.
• As many as 8,444 farmers are eligible to receive approximately ₹3.8 crore.
• Minister intervenes after farmers raise complaints during his October 15 visit to Chiddon village in Rajnandgaon district.
• Of 15,298 applications submitted by 10,514 farmers, 14,344 applications involving 8,444 farmers have been approved.
• Insurance coverage includes horticultural crops such as tomatoes, brinjals, cauliflower, onions and potatoes.
• Officials instructed to complete all formalities and transfer approved amounts directly into farmers’ bank accounts.

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Agriculture Development and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ramvichar Netam has ordered the settlement of pending horticultural crop insurance claims within three working days, directing departmental and insurance officials to ensure that approximately ₹3.8 crore reaches 8,444 eligible farmers without further delay. The intervention followed complaints raised by farmers during the Minister’s visit to Chiddon village in Rajnandgaon district on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Taking immediate cognisance of their grievances, Netam convened a review meeting on Friday, October 16, and issued strict instructions for the time-bound disbursement of approved insurance claims relating to the Rabi 2025 season.

The Minister made it clear that farmers who had already completed the required procedures and whose claims had been approved should not be made to wait unnecessarily for financial assistance.

The decision is expected to provide relief to horticultural farmers who have been awaiting payments under the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme.

Farmers’ Complaints Prompt Immediate Ministerial Intervention

The matter came to the Minister’s attention during his visit to Chiddon village in Dongargaon development block of Rajnandgaon district on October 15.

Several farmers approached Netam and complained that their horticultural crop insurance claims had remained unpaid despite the passage of time.

They requested his intervention to ensure that the pending amounts were released.

Rather than leaving the matter for routine departmental correspondence, the Agriculture Minister initiated a review the following day.

On October 16, he called a meeting of departmental officials and representatives responsible for the insurance process to examine the status of the pending claims.

The meeting focused on identifying the reasons for the delay and ensuring that approved payments were transferred to eligible beneficiaries within a clearly defined period.

Netam Sets Three-Working-Day Deadline for Approved Claims

During the review, the Agriculture Minister directed officials to complete all necessary procedures and ensure payment within the next three working days.

His instructions placed responsibility on the concerned departments and insurance authorities to coordinate effectively and prevent further delays.

The substance of his directive was clear:

“Ensure that all pending, approved crop insurance claims are paid within the next three working days. Complete the necessary formalities without delay so that eligible farmers receive timely financial relief.”

The Minister emphasised that administrative procedures should not become an obstacle once claims had been examined and approved.

The deadline applies to approved claims, rather than every application originally submitted under the scheme.

₹3.8 Crore in Approved Claims to Benefit 8,444 Farmers

According to information presented by departmental and insurance officials, 10,514 farmers submitted a total of 15,298 applications under the Rabi 2025 crop insurance arrangements.

Following examination, 14,344 applications submitted by 8,444 farmers were approved.

The total amount payable against these approved claims is approximately ₹3.8 crore.

Farmers with approved claims

8,444

Total approved payout

₹3.8 crore

Applications received

15,298

Applications approved

14,344

Figures supplied by the Agriculture Department for the Rabi 2025 insurance claims review.

The figures indicate that approximately 93.8 per cent of submitted applications were approved following scrutiny.

The remaining 954 applications were not included among the approved claims. The supplied departmental information does not specify whether these applications were rejected, remained under examination or required additional documentation.

Weather-Based Insurance Covers Major Horticultural Crops

The claims relate to horticultural crops insured under the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme.

The covered crops include tomatoes, brinjals, cauliflower, onions and potatoes, among other horticultural produce.

Unlike conventional crop insurance arrangements that may rely primarily on assessments of actual crop losses, weather-based insurance schemes generally use predefined weather parameters and applicable policy conditions to determine compensation.

Such schemes can help farmers manage financial risks associated with adverse weather conditions affecting agricultural production.

Horticultural cultivation often involves significant expenditure on seeds, irrigation, fertilisers, labour and crop management.

For farmers growing perishable vegetables, unexpected weather conditions can create financial difficulties by affecting production and marketable yields.

Timely insurance compensation can therefore play an important role in supporting household finances and preparations for subsequent cultivation.

Direct Bank Transfers to Reduce Further Delays

Netam instructed officials to ensure that approved insurance amounts were transferred directly into the bank accounts of eligible farmers.

The directions require the concerned authorities to complete pending formalities promptly and coordinate the payment process.

Direct transfers are intended to provide beneficiaries with access to the sanctioned compensation without unnecessary administrative intervention.

However, the actual completion of payments will need to be verified through disbursement records and confirmation of successful bank transfers.

The Minister’s intervention establishes a specific administrative deadline against which the progress of claim settlement can be assessed.

Farmers’ Grievances Must Receive Priority, Minister Directs Officials

The review also highlighted the importance of responding promptly when farmers report difficulties accessing government-supported financial protection schemes.

The Agriculture Minister directed officials to accelerate the resolution of pending claims and ensure that eligible beneficiaries received assistance within the prescribed period.

His directions reinforced the department’s responsibility to address grievances without allowing avoidable procedural delays to prolong financial hardship.

The Minister stressed the need for timely implementation of agricultural welfare programmes and effective coordination between departmental and insurance authorities.

Crop Insurance Payments Crucial for Agricultural Stability

Crop insurance is intended to provide a financial safety net to farmers facing specified agricultural risks.

For small and marginal cultivators, delayed compensation can affect the ability to purchase inputs, meet household expenses and prepare for the next cropping season.

Horticultural farmers can be particularly vulnerable because of the perishable nature of their produce and the costs associated with cultivation.

The proposed release of ₹3.8 crore is therefore significant for the 8,444 farmers whose claims have been approved.

Although the average amount across approved farmers works out to approximately ₹4,500, individual payouts may differ depending on the insured crop, applicable scheme conditions and claim calculations.

Swift Action Reflects Focus on Administrative Accountability

The sequence of events demonstrates how a grievance raised during a village visit can prompt an immediate administrative review.

Farmers presented their complaints on October 15, and the Minister convened the departmental meeting the following day.

The three-working-day deadline now places the responsibility for implementation on the concerned officials and insurance authorities.

The central issue is no longer whether the approved claims should be paid, but whether the necessary payment procedures can be completed within the stipulated timeframe.

Timely Payment Will Be the Real Test of the Directive

The Agriculture Minister’s intervention has provided a defined schedule for resolving the approved claims.

For the affected farmers, the practical benefit will become clear when the insurance compensation is successfully credited to their accounts.

The Agriculture Department and insurance authorities will now be expected to translate the instructions into completed payments.

The decision reinforces an important principle of farmer welfare: insurance protection is meaningful only when eligible cultivators receive their approved compensation in time to meet their financial needs and continue agricultural activity with confidence.