Agri Min's tableaux on crop insurance rejected

New Delhi: In a major setback to Radha Mohan Singh-led Agriculture Ministry, the Republic Day Parade selection committee has rejected the ministry's proposal to showcase Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) through tableaux.

The Agriculture Ministry's tableau proposal failed to convince the selection committee members at the fifth round, while the tableau proposal of ministry's research arm – Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) --- qualified for the next round. The theme of the ICAR for Republic Day parade tableaux that cleared the initial rounds of selection is integrated farming.

The ministry' presentation was not up to the mark and the elements that were incorporated in it were not 'worth watching' in comparison to the tableaux of other Central ministries, the sources said. It's worth mentioning that revamped crop insurance has failed to attract beneficiaries too. According to the Agriculture Ministry's data, there are only a few takers of this scheme, which was launched with much fanfare in January 2016.

The sources further said that the theme was selected to promote farmer-friendly reform initiatives of the ministry as the new crop insurance has many new clauses which were not there in the older version of the insurance.

"The rejection of tableaux proposal on crop insurance is a matter of great embarrassment for the ministry as it's a pet scheme of the Prime Minister. The government is also banking upon this project to bring the farming community in their fold in upcoming general elections," said Rakesh Tikait, the spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS).

This year's (2017) RD parade had witnessed the tableaux from 17 states and six ministries of the Central government. The parade on Rajpath had tableaux on GST; Khadi India; Housing for All, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR); CPWD and Skill Development Ministry.