The Maharashtra state government announced it would extend a pilot insurance programme it initiated last year to provide financial assistance to orchardists affected by inclement weather.
According to a Times of India report, the scheme had been extended to cover grape, pomegranate, banana and cashew crops. Previously only orange, sweet lime and guava crops were covered.
While the report was unclear as to how the insurance cover would be funded, it said the Union and state governments would provide 50 per cent of coverage while private companies would contribute the remainder.
The state had decided to cover Sangli, Solapur, Nashik, Pune, Ahmednagar, Latur, Osmanabad, Jalna, Beed and Satara districts for grapes.
Meanwhile insurance for banana growers would be available in districts such as Jalgaon, Buldana, Nanded, Nandurbar, Dhule, Sangli, Solapur, Parbhani, Pune, Satara, Latur, Akola, Osmanabad, Kolhapur, Aurangabad, Amravati, Jalna, Wardha and Beed.
