Jaipur

Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena on Monday said serious irregularities by insurance companies have surfaced in several districts under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, and assured the state Assembly that the matter would be investigated by the Special Operations Group (SOG).

Replying to supplementary questions during Question Hour, Meena said fraud involving banks and insurance firms had deprived farmers of compensation for crop losses. He cited an inspection in Karanpur in Sri Ganganagar district, where an insurance company surveyor allegedly signed crop loss intimation forms on behalf of farmers, agriculture supervisors and revenue officials.

According to the minister, of the 1.70 lakh forms examined, around 32,000 showed zero per cent crop damage despite actual losses ranging between 50 and 70 per cent. This allegedly resulted in a loss of about ₹128 crore to farmers. An FIR has been registered in Rawla in this connection and an investigation is underway. Meena said a private insurance company has been found prima facie responsible, and the Centre has been urged not to award it further tenders.

The minister also flagged another case of alleged fraud in Salasar, where 71 bank accounts were opened in State Bank of India using fake documents in farmers’ names to facilitate premium deductions. He said the irregularity could have led to wrongful payments of around ₹9 crore from the state and central governments. An FIR has been filed in this case as well.

Meena informed the House that irregularities have also been reported from Sanchore, Jalore, Churu, Nagaur and Bikaner districts, along with instances of underreporting crop damage in Shergarh assembly constituency.

He said the current government has paid crop insurance claims worth ₹6,328 crore for the rabi and kharif seasons, including ₹188 crore pending from the previous regime. In Shergarh alone, claims amounting to ₹42.62 lakh for 659 eligible farmers from Kharif 2020 to Rabi 2024–25 remain pending due to issues such as non-verification of bank accounts or Aadhaar details, failed NEFT transactions and the death of insured farmers.

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District collectors have been directed to expedite verification of bank accounts, Aadhaar details and succession certificates to ensure early disbursal of pending claims, the minister added.