Livestock insurance scheme gets Centres nod

KOCHI: Getting through the life insurance application process may not be a cakewalk for the citizens of the country, but the Central Government’s bounty has ensured that it would be much more easier for the cattle, at least! The Centre has given its nod for Kerala to implement the ambitious livestock insurance scheme in all its 14 districts. Kerala thus becomes the first state in the country to be able to provide the benefit to all its districts.Under the scheme, 50 per cent of the insurance premium for the cattle insured by a farmer will be borne by the government. Apart from this, the Department of Animal Husbandry will also provide free medical treatment for every insured animal.In the year 2011-12, the Central Government had given a clearance to the state to implement the programme on a trial basis. Now, after evaluating the interim performance, the approval to implement the programme in a full-fledged manner has been accorded.“As per the programme, for every farm animal worth Rs 10,000, a premium of Rs 165 will be fixed, of which 50 per cent will be sponsored by the Government. In spite of all the measures that are taken, cattle worth lakhs of rupees die every year owing to various diseases. In this context, the scheme will be a major incentive for the farmers,” said state Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan.In Kerala, 11 districts will be sponsored by the Central Government and three by the state government. “The Central Government had released Rs 2 crores for the trial implementation of the scheme for 2011-12. The whole amount had been put to use. For 2012-13, the Centre has already released a sum of Rs 3 crores as advance and the state government has issued Rs 2.25 crores,” Managing Director of Kerala Livestock Development Board Dr Ani S Das said.Another highlight of the project in the state is that the medical certification fee will also be sponsored by the government. “We hope to achieve 100 per cent insurance by 2013. In order to reduce unreasonable delays and procedural formalities, the government has decided to bear the expenses of medical certification of the animals. This will give an incentive to the doctors as well to carry out the certification process,” Dr Ani added.