Pune: The Maharashtra State Gazetted Agriculture Officers’ Association has sought enhanced security for agriculture officials and reforms in seed regulation and crop insurance to prevent possible attacks on field officers.The demand follows the alleged confinement of the Akola district superintendent agriculture officer by a group of farmers and a local politician during protests over substandard soybean seeds on July 10.In a memorandum submitted to the state govt, the association sought permanent security at agriculture offices, stricter action against errant seed and insurance companies, digitisation of insurance services, greater use of remote sensing for crop-loss assessment and a reduction in the deployment of agriculture staff for non-departmental duties.Condemning the Akola incident, the association said such actions create fear among field officials and adversely affect the functioning of the agriculture department.“We have to work in difficult conditions despite repeated confrontations with aggrieved farmers over issues that are often beyond our control. Complaints relating to defective seeds and crop insurance are largely linked to private companies. Still, field officers become the immediate targets of public anger,” Sanjay Kachole, president of the association, told TOI.“We have also apprised state agriculture minister Datta Bharne of the current situation during a meeting and urged him to take appropriate steps at the earliest. This is a crucial period for farmers, and we do not want to create any inconvenience for them. However, attacks on our officials have caused serious concern, forcing us to take this step,” Kachole added.Among its key demands, the association has urged the govt to implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to prevent intimidation, unlawful demonstrations, threats and political pressure within govt offices.The association said it would be compelled to launch a statewide agitation if the govt fails to act promptly on its demands.A major concern raised by the association relates to the implementation of the crop insurance scheme.“Complaints against insurance companies are currently examined by taluka-level verification committees under existing guidelines. However, even when deficiencies in service are established, authorities have no effective powers to penalise insurance companies, leaving farmers dissatisfied and agriculture officers exposed to criticism,” said a senior agriculture official.The association has demanded that district-level authorities be empowered to impose penalties on insurance companies found guilty of service lapses. It has also called for a time-bound mechanism to dispose of appeals against such action.“If we are given the power to penalise insurance companies for violations, we will be able to address farmers’ concerns immediately at the district level. This will reduce delays significantly and ensure insurance companies comply with the rules,” the official said.The memorandum also questioned the effectiveness of the existing area-approach model under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, arguing that many farmers who suffer actual crop losses fail to receive adequate compensation because assessments are carried out at a broader geographical level.“It is necessary for the govt to either undertake comprehensive reforms to the crop insurance scheme or strengthen the compensation mechanism to ensure faster and fairer relief,” another official said.The association has also recommended extensive use of satellite imagery, remote sensing and automated technologies for crop-loss assessment to minimise human intervention and reduce disputes over compensation. It further sought stricter regulation of seed companies, complete digitisation of insurance-related services and greater accountability of private agencies involved in implementing agricultural schemes.
