Hyderabad, Aug 4 Rythu Beema, the life insurance scheme for farmers, has been kicked off in Telangana, with the Agriculture, Finance and Power Ministers organising meetings in different parts of the State to give away the policy bonds to the eligible farmers.

Beginning August 15, farmers in the age group of 18 to 59 years will get an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh each. The premium per head has been pegged at Rs 2,271. Farmers’ unions, however, demand that the upper age limit of 59 years is too low as farmers much older than that practice agriculture in large numbers.

The State Government has tied up with the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) to roll out the scheme. The Government is spending Rs 1,000 crore towards premium payment on behalf of the farmers.

Power Minister had Jagdish Reddy formally launched the scheme at Imampet in Suryapet district on Saturday. His peers in the State Cabinet will launch the scheme in different districts. In case of death of the insured farmer, the kin will get the insured sum within ten days of the death.

“The Rythu Bandhu scheme, which provides a financial assistance of Rs 8,000 to every farmer, and Rythu Beema would go a long way in protecting the interests of farmers,” the Minister said, while launching the scheme.

While the LIC provides the insurance cover, the Agriculture Ministry has been assigned the job of identifying the beneficiaries and coordinating with the insurance company in rolling out of the scheme.

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