Key Highlights
- Former CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy demands immediate crop insurance compensation for farmers affected by Cyclone Montha across 1.58 lakh hectares in Andhra Pradesh​
- YSRCP president alleges deliberate underreporting of crop damage covering 15 lakh acres, with pending insurance dues worth Rs 600 crore​
- Cyclone Montha caused estimated damage of $603 million across the state, with paddy crops on 11 lakh acres severely affected​
Opening Overview
YSRCP President Jagan Mohan Reddy has intensified pressure on the Andhra Pradesh government, demanding immediate crop insurance payouts for farmers devastated by Cyclone Montha. The former Chief Minister’s demands come as agricultural losses from the recent cyclone continue to mount, with official estimates now confirming damage across 1.58 lakh hectares. Jagan’s intervention highlights critical gaps in the state’s crop insurance framework and compensation mechanisms, particularly following the discontinuation of the YSR Free Crop Insurance Scheme. The YSRCP president’s demands for immediate crop insurance compensation underscore the urgent need for systematic agricultural disaster response in Andhra Pradesh, where farmers face mounting financial distress amid delayed enumeration processes and pending dues worth Rs 600 crore.​
Cyclone Montha’s Agricultural Impact Assessment
- Current official damage assessment covers 1.58 lakh hectares across 24 districts, significantly higher than initial estimates of 1.12 lakh hectares​
- Paddy cultivation on 11 lakh acres suffered severe damage, representing the largest crop loss category in the cyclone’s aftermath​
The devastating impact of Cyclone Montha on Andhra Pradesh’s agricultural sector has prompted YSRCP President Jagan to demand immediate crop insurance interventions from state authorities. According to the agriculture department’s latest enumeration, crop damage now spans 1.58 lakh hectares across 387 mandals in 24 districts, with Konaseema (29,562 hectares), Krishna (28,035 hectares), Kakinada (21,330 hectares), and East Godavari (15,145 hectares) recording the highest losses.
The cyclone’s financial impact reached an estimated $603 million, making it one of the most costly natural disasters in recent Andhra Pradesh history. Jagan’s demands for crop insurance compensation gain urgency as damage assessment data reveals that paddy farmers cultivating over 11 lakh acres bore the brunt of Cyclone Montha’s devastation. The YSRCP president emphasized that farmers were merely 25 days away from harvesting their Kharif season crops when the cyclone struck, wiping out five months of agricultural investment.​
Crop Insurance Policy Disputes and Pending Dues
- Andhra Pradesh discontinued the YSR Free Crop Insurance Scheme, leaving farmers dependent on voluntary central schemes​
- State government faces pending crop insurance dues of Rs 600 crore, affecting compensation disbursement timelines​
YSRCP President Jagan has directly blamed Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for scrapping the crop insurance framework that previously provided comprehensive coverage to farmers in the state. The former Chief Minister’s criticism centers on the discontinuation of the YSR Free Crop Insurance Scheme, which had provided universal coverage with farmers paying only Rs 1 as a token registration fee. According to parliamentary records, Andhra Pradesh is among six states that opted out of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) after implementing their own crop insurance alternatives.
Jagan’s demands for immediate crop insurance payouts also highlight the Rs 600 crore in pending dues that the state government owes to farmers from previous seasons. The YSRCP president has demanded that the government not only clear these pending crop insurance arrears but also resume premium payments for the upcoming Rabi season to ensure continuous agricultural protection.​
Enumeration Process Controversies and Farmer Grievances
- District collectors instructed officials to complete crop damage enumeration within a single day, compromising assessment quality​
- Farmers across all 25 districts report that no official field visits were conducted during the damage assessment process​
The YSRCP president has launched scathing criticism against the state government’s hurried crop enumeration process, alleging that officials received instructions to complete damage assessment in just one day. Jagan’s demands for proper crop insurance compensation stem from widespread farmer complaints that no field visits were conducted during the enumeration process across all 25 districts. The former Chief Minister alleged that the government deliberately underreported crop damage covering 15 lakh acres to avoid paying adequate compensation to affected farmers.
However, the state agriculture department has defended its methodology, introducing satellite imagery, rainfall data, and wind-speed analysis through the APAIMS (Andhra Pradesh Agricultural Information Management System) for transparent damage assessment. Jagan’s criticism of the crop insurance enumeration process gains credence from farmer testimonies indicating that entire villages received damage assessments without any official physically inspecting their fields. The YSRCP president’s demands for immediate crop insurance payouts also address concerns about additional riders, including restrictions on paddy procurement for farmers claiming insurance compensation.​
Political Response and Agricultural Policy Implications
- YSRCP threatens to launch agitation if crop insurance demands are not met, escalating political pressure on the ruling coalition​
- State government has implemented technology-driven enumeration using satellite data and meteorological information for damage assessment​
The political dimensions of Jagan’s crop insurance demands have intensified following his field visits to cyclone-affected areas in Krishna district, where he interacted directly with distressed farmers. The YSRCP president’s ultimatum to the government includes launching party-led agitations if immediate crop insurance compensation is not provided to affected farmers. Jagan has particularly criticized Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for conducting an aerial survey of affected areas before departing for London, while farmers remained in distress without adequate support.
The government’s response includes the formation of fast-track committees at village, mandal, and revenue division levels under district collector supervision to expedite crop insurance claim processing. Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Buditi Rajasekhar has emphasized that compensation will be provided for crops damaged above 33%, fields affected by sand casting, and lands damaged by soil erosion according to government guidelines. The YSRCP president’s demands for crop insurance reform also highlight the broader challenges facing agricultural disaster management in Andhra Pradesh, where farmers have experienced 16 natural disasters in the past 18 months.​
Final Assessment
YSRCP President Jagan’s demands for immediate crop insurance compensation reflect the critical intersection of agricultural policy, disaster management, and political accountability in Andhra Pradesh. The cyclone’s devastating impact across 1.58 lakh hectares, combined with pending dues of Rs 600 crore, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive crop insurance reform. Jagan’s intervention highlights systemic gaps in the state’s agricultural protection framework, particularly following the discontinuation of universal crop insurance coverage that previously supported farmers during natural disasters.
The controversy over enumeration processes and the alleged underreporting of crop damage reveals deeper challenges in transparent disaster assessment and compensation mechanisms. As the Rabi season approaches, the resolution of these crop insurance demands will significantly impact agricultural recovery and farmer confidence in Andhra Pradesh’s disaster response capabilities.
