By Special Correspondent
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Rahul Raj on Monday launched a scathing attack on the BJP government, branding the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana as the “biggest scam” in the state. Addressing a press conference, Raj alleged that instead of being a protective shield for farmers, the scheme had been turned into a “web of loot” benefitting insurance companies and corporate houses at the expense of cultivators.
Citing shocking figures, Raj claimed that in 2024 farmers paid ₹2,743 crore in premiums, yet not a single rupee was disbursed as compensation against a potential liability of ₹36,803 crore. Similar patterns were highlighted for 2021 to 2023, with meagre sums reaching farmers while companies reportedly pocketed thousands of crores.
According to Raj, the manipulation occurs through collusion between patwaris, collectors, and higher officials, who allegedly prepare false reports, dilute crop loss assessments, and delay payments by up to two years. In some districts, farmers who paid lakhs in premiums reportedly received “zero” compensation for crop loss in the 2024 kharif season.
The Congress party posed three questions to the government: where the collected premiums have gone, why no action has been taken against insurance firms, and whether the BJP is deliberately handing over farmers’ hard-earned money to corporates.
The party has demanded a high-level judicial inquiry, immediate compensation to affected farmers, and reforms to make the scheme transparent and farmer-centric. Raj warned that unless action is taken, the scheme would continue to drive cultivators into debt and despair.
