Hyderabad: Within three days of the launch of the Rythu Bhima Scheme on August 15 by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to provide Rs 5 lakh free life insurance cover to the families of victims in case of death of farmers for any reason, as many as 78 deaths of farmers were witnessed across the state.
As per the latest data, 78 deaths were registered in three days, of which claims were submitted to LIC in 67 cases and claims settled in 52 cases. The Life Insurance Corporation of India has already settled claims of 52 affected families and disbursed Rs 5 lakh to each of these families.
Incidentally, Siricilla constituency represented by IT minister K.T.Rama Rao was the first to witness the deaths of three farmers and the first to get Rs 5 lakh compensation each from LIC on Day-1 of the launch of the scheme.
However, contrasting views emerged as government claims success of the scheme with faster settlement of claims and disbursement of compensation amount within hours of the death of the farmers while some farmers’ associations argue that the scheme exposed the agrarian crisis, with so many deaths witnessed within three days of the launch of the scheme.
The farmers’ associations also alleged that a majority of these deaths were suicides, and demanded that the government disclosed the details.
The government claims that the insurance covers any death suicide or natural. As per the agreement entered with LIC, the benefit should be extended to all families for death of farmers for any reason.
