Maharashtra: Maharashtra's Agriculture Minister and NCP leader, Manikrao Kokate has made an inflammatory remark about the state's crop insurance scheme.

Speaking at a review meeting of the agriculture department for the Amravati division, Kokate stated, "Even a beggar does not take a Re 1, but the state government has provided crop insurance to farmers at Re 1." 

Kokate's comments came amid the government's move to revise the crop insurance scheme by raising the premium to Rs 100 from Re 1. The minister clarified that the scheme would not be stopped, but reforms would be implemented to address irregularities.

He pointed out that the government had encountered both positive and negative experiences with the crop insurance scheme, with some companies allegedly exploiting farmers. Kokate emphasised that decisions would be made in consultation with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to prevent further abuses.

The crop insurance scheme, introduced in the 2023 budget by then-Finance Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, initially allowed farmers to secure crop insurance for just Re 1. Prior to the scheme, farmers were required to pay 2% of the insurance premium. However, the initiative faced criticism after a review revealed over 4 lakh bogus applicants.

Following the backlash, Kokate sought to clarify his statement, denying he had made the remark in question and blaming the media for misinterpreting it. This isn't the first time Kokate has stirred controversy; in January, he made headlines for claiming that "3-4 per cent corruption exists in every government scheme."

Reaction from the Opposition

Opposition leaders were quick to condemn Kokate’s remarks, with many calling for his resignation. Leader of Opposition in the state council, Ambadas Danve, called for Kokate's resignation, stating that such comments about farmers were unacceptable. BJP legislator Praveen Darekar echoed this sentiment, urging the minister to show respect to the farming community.

State Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe also expressed outrage, asking, "How dare he term farmers as beggars?" He called for immediate action, urging Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to ask for Kokate's resignation.

The Kisan Sabha leader, Ajit Navale, condemned Kokate's statement as "insulting" to self-respecting farmers. NCP chief spokesperson Anand Paranjape suggested that party members should be more careful with their public statements to avoid offending any community.

Meanwhile, Kokate admitted that there had been irregularities in the crop insurance scheme, acknowledging that many applications from outside the state had been submitted online, resulting in a backlog. Following investigations, over 4 lakh applications were found to be fraudulent and subsequently rejected.