The scheme will come into force from the coming rabi season i.e. October 1, '99 and will continue for three years. Chief Minister Narayan Rane announced the decision taken by the State cabinet in a press conference held in Mantralaya. `The scheme will be applicable to all farmers irrespective of their size of holding. It will be mandatory for the farmers who have borrowed loans for farming, to participate in the scheme. However, it will be optional for farmers who are not borrowers, to participate. The scheme will cover all food grain crops, pulses, oil seeds for three years and sugar cane, potato and cotton for a year,' said Rane.

The CM said the sum insured can be as high as 150 per cent of the average yield of the crop and corresponding income. Installment amount will be 3.5 per cent of the sum insured for bajra and oil seeds,2.5 per cent for kharif crops, 1.5 per cent for wheat and 2 per cent for all rabi crops, Rane said. Farmers holding very small plots of land will get 50 per cent grant from the government towards insurance installments.

`A state level crop insurance committee comprising secretaries of Planning, Finance, Revenue departments, representatives of Reserve Bank of India and NABARD, will soon be set up to deal with related issues. The State Government will provide Rs 21.60 crore to the corpus fund formed by the Union Government. The shceme will cost a total of Rs 36.98 crore for both seasons this year,' said Rane.

`KUSUMAGRAJ' MEMORIAL: Chief Minister Rane today said process was on to dereserve a plot to construct a memorial of veteran Jnanpith Award winner Marathi litterateur Vishnu Waman Shirwadkar alias Kusumagraj at Nashik. Rane maintained that the government would keep its commitment of providing Rs 5 crore to the Kusumagraj Pratishthan, the trust which will construct thememorial.

Former judge Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari of the Pratishthan had said in a public meeting that six months after the announcement by Rane to this effect, the Pratisthan had not yet received even a single paisa out of the first installment of Rs 50 lakh from the Government.

When asked, Rane said the Pratishthan had asked for a specific plot of land at Nashik which was reserved by the Nashik Municipal Corporation. `The government has initiated the process to dereserve the plot which takes at least 3 months as it involves inviting objections from the public. Once the plot gets cleared, the government will release the funds to the Pratishthan,' the CM said.