(iv) EXTENSION AND ADVISORY SERVICE:-

   A. For advisory services in fruit plant nutrition, three Plant Tissue Analysis Laboratories have been established at Shimla, Kullu and Dharmshala in which around 10000 to 13000 plant issue samples are analyzed annually for the diagnosis of the nutritional disorders and recommendations for dosages for fertilizer application. This has helped the orchardists in making judicious use of chemical fertilizers.

   B. The supply of the pesticides is arranged through 337 sales outlsets established in the fruit growing areas by the Department. Every year around 2.25 lakh hectare area is covered under plant protection activities and the pesticides for the same (technical grade material) are distributed to the farmers every year. A Biological Control Laboratory to decrease the chemical use in pests control has also been established at Shimla.

   C. The horticulture extension services have been strengthened up to the grass root level.In addition, the program relating to  the farmers training, demonstrations, fruit shows, exhibitions, seminars and workshops are organized for the dissemination of the technical know how to the farmers.

(v) ANCILLARY HORTICULTURE ACTIVITY :-

A.BEEKEEPING -For the development of beekeeping, 32 Beekeeping Stations have

been established all over the State for providing technical know how to the farmers in commercial beekeeping. About 1256 bee colonies are maintained in these Stations for multiplication and supply to the farmers. Two bee breeding multiplication centers have also been promoted in the private sector. Ag-marking laboratories for honey have been established one at Hatkoti (Shimla District) and other at Chaitru (Kangra District.)

B.FLORICULTURE -For the promotion of floriculture, seven floriculture nurseries have

been established at various places for multiplication and supply of floriculture planting material. One Model Floriculture Center has been established at Mahog Bag, Chail (Solan) to serve as a training center in commercial floriculture.

C.MUSHROOM CULTIVATION -For the development of mushroom cultivation, the Department of Horticulture has established four Mushroom Compost Manufacturing Units at Chambaghat (Solan), Palampur Baijnath (Kangra distt.) and Bajuara (Kullu distt.). In addition, about thirty Mushroom Compost Manufacturing Units are in operation in the private sector.

(vi) INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES:

The Department of Horticulture, Himachal Pradesh is taking necessary steps for the introduction of new technologies like micro irrigation, protected cover cultivation, use of bio-fertilizers in horticulture, improved horticultural tools, implements and machinery, field diagnostic facilities for the diagnosis of the pathological and nutritional disorders.

(vii) WBCIS FOR APPLE & MANGO:

             
Sir, 

It is to inform that the Govt. of India, Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture Cooperation, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi vide their letter No.13011/ 01 / 2008- Credit-II dated the 11^thSeptember, 2009 has accorded and issued its Administrative Approval / Instructions for the implementation of the Pilot Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) on existing pattern during Rabi, 2009-10 season, as per the term conditions contained in the scheme. The Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd. (AIC), will be the Implementing  Agency (IA) of this Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) as decided by the Govt. of HP.

As decided by the State Level Coordination Committee on Crop Insurance (SLCCCI) in its meeting held on 08.10.2009 at 4.00 P.M. under the Chairmanship of the Secretary (Horticulture & Agriculture) to the Govt. of Himachal Pradesh, the Pilot Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) in Theog, Jubbal, Narkanda, Rohru and Chirgaon blocks of Shimla district Ani block of Kullu district for Apple crop and in Fatehpur, Nurpur, Indora and Nagrota Surian blocks of Kangra district for Mango crop will be implemented during Rabi 2009-10 on the following conditions:-

Conditions for the WBCIS:-

(1) Season:

    Insurance coverage under the scheme would be provided as under for Apple and Mango crops during Rabi 2009-10 season. 

_{(2) Area approach:} 

The scheme shall operate on the principle of “Area Approach” in selected 

notified Reference Unit Areas. Area Approach signifies that a Reference Unit Area

shall be considered as a unit area of insurance for the purpose of acceptance of risk and assessment of compensation as well. Therefore, all insured cultivators of a notified crop in the notified Reference unit area shall be deemed to be on par so far as their terms of  insurance coverage and assessment of compensation are concerned.

(3) Geographical Coverage:

“Reference unit areas are linked to specific Reference Weather Station 

(RWS) for providing Weather data for the purpose of assessment of compensation. 
 
 

_{For Apple} 

For Mango: 

(4) Crops Covered: 

      The Apple and Mango crops are to be covered during Rabi, 2009-10 season in the areas mentioned above. 
 

(5) Cultivators Eligible for Coverage: 

All the cultivators (including share croppers and tenant cultivators) growing Apple and Mango crops in any Reference Unit Area shall be eligible for coverage. The scheme shall be Compulsory :For all Loanee applicant cultivators i.e. those who have sanctioned credit limit from a Financial Institution for as on 5^th December 2009 for Apple crop and 5^th December 2009 for Mango crop in the notified RUAs. 

Voluntary: For Non Loanee cultivators i.e. those who do not have sanctioned credit limit from any Financial Institution. Financial Institution, for the purpose of the scheme includes all District Central Cooperative Bank and also the PACs affiliated to them, all Commercial Banks and all Regional Rural Banks as defined in National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS). 

(6) Perils Covered :

Following weather perils, which are deemed to cause “Adverse Weather Incidence”, leading to crop loss, would be covered under the scheme; Chilling requirement, Temperature fluctuations and Rainfall (deficit / excess) for Apple and Frost, Temperature fluctuations, Rainfall, wind speed for Mango crop. The specific “Adverse Weather Incidence” with its timing duration applicable is given as per term sheet (Annexure 1 to VI). 

(7) Risk Period (i.e. Insurance Period): 

The crop wise risk period would be as mentioned in the term sheets. 

(8) Seasonality Discipline: 

The Cut off dates for covering loanee farmers, accepting the crop insurance proposals from non loanee farmers at PAC?s / Bank branches and submission of declarations by the banks to implementing agency i.e. Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd. would be accepted as per table given below. 

No insurance coverage is allowed once these dates are over. 

(9) Coverage Procedure: 

(a) Insurance coverage of Loanee Applicant Cultivators shall be through the existing network of Financial Institutions (FI) at the grass-root level, using Nodal Bank system as in National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS).

(b) Insurance coverage of Non-loanee Cultivators shall be through the existing network of Financial Institutions at the grass root level; the Insurance Intermediaries and Authorized Representatives of AIC.

(c) Nodal Bank Branches shall be paid by AIC, a service charges of 5% on the actual Premium amount (excluding Service Tax) remitted by them, being in the nature of sharing the incidental management expenses incurred by them for servicing the scheme.

(10) Sum Insured:

Sum insured is equivalent to the „cost of cultivation? and is further sub divided into various covers as given in the term sheets. The sum insured for an individual cultivator shall be the product of the cultivator?s declared „area under cultivation? (in hectare) for Tomato and Potato crops and No. of trees for Apple and mango crops and the sum insured given in the term sheet per unit area / tree. An individual Cultivator?s area under cultivation? for a Notified Crop in a notified Reference Unit area shall be declared by him as follows

Loanee Applicant Cultivators: Area under cultivation? for the Notified Crop as already declared by him in the Loan Application Form for the purpose of fixing his “Maximum Credit Limit (MCL) by the Lending Financial institutions. For Apple and Mango crops, where the MCL have been sanctioned for area under the crop, the farmer shall give a self declaration to the bank indicating age group wise number of trees grown.

Non Loanee Cultivators. The cultivator shall declare the area under cultivation? for the Notified Crop in the Insurance Proposal Form.

11. Premium Rates: 

Actuarial Premium Rates for these crops have been calculated by AIC using standard Premium Rating methodology and it 11.50% plus ST @ 10.30% for Apple and Mango crops.

12. Premium Sharing and Subsidy:

Of the total Premium, 50% shall be payable by the insured cultivator and the balance shall be borne by the Central and the State Govt. on 50:50 basis.

The Banks should prepare separate demand drafts for the loanee and non loanee farmers in the name of “Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd payable at Axis Bank A/C No. 041010200007856” payable at Chandigarh and should be sent to the Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd, SCO 64-65, Sector 8C, Chandigarh.

(14)Compensation (Payout):

(I) AIC shall be responsible for all Payouts arising out of “Adverse Weather Incidence" strictly in terms of the Scheme terms conditions read with the elevant Premium Payout table.

(II) Pay-out shall arise only in case of Adverse Weather Incidence. Adverse Weather Incidence is equivalent to the deviation between “Trigger Weather” and “Actual Weather” Data recorded at a “Reference Weather Station” during the specified time period. Trigger Weather is a pre-defined Weather Parameter applicable to a Notified Crop in a notified Reference Unit In case of Adverse Weather Incidence (AWI), all the insured cultivators growing the Notified Crop in the Reference Unit Area shall be deemed to have suffered the same level of AWI and the same proportion of crop-loss, and become eligible for the same rate of Payouts.

(III) Pay-Out Disbursement 

(a) Pay-outs would normally be made by AIC to the Nodal Banks with in 45 days of closing of insurance period subject to receipt of the necessary actual weather data.

(b) So far as the Insured is concerned, the Pay-outs procedure shall be automatic; that is to say, Payouts would be automatically computed by AIC on the basis of Actual Weather Data received, and the Payouts would be automatically credited to the insured?s Bank Account through the concerned odal Bank / Financial Institution.

(15) ROLE OF VARIOUS AGENCIES:

i) The State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC), The Lead Bank Managers, the Cooperative Banks and Agriculture Insurance Co. of India Ltd.(Implementing shall take immediate necessary action to ensure the implementation of the scheme in the State as detailed above.

ii) The Implementing Agency i.e. Agriculture Insurance Co. of India Ltd. shall ensure that claims are paid at the earliest after release of State Govt. share, Litigations, if any, for delay in payment of claims and if any other, shall be the sole responsibility of the Implementing Agency.

iii) The banks would also ensure that the claims amount is released/ disbursed to the beneficiaries within a fortnight from the date of receipt of claims amount from the Implementing Agency.

iv) The Implementing Agency shall make necessary arrangements to give wide publicity to the scheme.

v) The Convener, District Level Bankers Committee will monitor the progress of this scheme in its periodical meetings time to time.

Separate guidelines of Pilot Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) shall be provided by the Agriculture Insurance Co. of India Ltd. Banks / Financial Institutions are requested to strictly adhere to the said guidelines. 

Encls: - As above. 

Yours faithfully, 

Director of Horticulture, Himachal Pradesh, Shimla 

Endst. No. 20-17/2009-Udyan-IV Dated the Shimla-2 2009

Copy along with a copy of the information referred to above is sent to the following for information and necessary action:-

1. The Secretary (Horticulture & Agriculture) to the Govt. of H.P., Shimla-2.

2. The Addl. Secretary (Agri.) to the Govt. of India, Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation,Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi- 110114 w.r.t. their letter No.13011/02/2008 Credit-II ) dated the 11^thSeptember, 2009.

3. The Chairman-cum- Managing Director, Agriculture Insurance Co. of India Ltd., 13 Floor Ambadeep Building, 14 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi-110001.

4. The Secretary (Finance) to the Govt. of H.P., Shimla-2.

5. The Secretary (Revenue) to the Govt. of H.P., Shimla-2.

6. The Secretary (Coop.) to the Govt. of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla-2.

7. The Secretary (Planning) to the Govt. of H.P., Shimla-2.

8. The Managing Director, Kangra Central Cooperative Bank Ltd., Dharamsala, Distt. Kangra, H.P.

9. The Managing Director, HP State Cooperative Bank Ltd H.O. The Mall, Shimla District- Shimla, H.P.

10. The Director, Information & Public Relation Department, H.P., Shimla-2 for wide publicity of the Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme

11. The Director of Land Records, Himachal Pradesh, Shimla-9.

12. The Director, Rural Development Department, H.P., Shimla-9.

13. The Director of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh, Shimla-5.

14. The Deputy Director of Horticulture, Shimla, Distt. Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.

15. The Deputy Director of Horticulture, Kangra, Distt. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

16. The Deputy Director of Horticulture, Kullu, Distt. Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

17. The Subject Matter Specialist, Ani, Distt. Kullu,Himachal Pradesh

18. The Agricultural Statistical Officer-cum-Member Secretary, State Level Coordination Committee on Crop Insurance, H. P, Shimla-5 for information and necessary action

19. The Asstt. Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Shimla, Kangra and Kullu, H.P.

20. The Lead Distt. Manager, Lead Bank Office, UCO Bank, Dharamshala, Distt Kangra, H.P.

21. The Lead Distt. Manager, Lead Bank Office,UCO Bank,Shimla, H.P.

22. The Station Director, All India Radio, Shimla-4, H.P. for wide publicity of the scheme.

23. The Station Director, Doordarshan Kendra, Shimla-171004 for wide publicity of the scheme.

24. The Deputy Director of Horticultural (Information), Directorate of Horticulture, H.P., Shimla for wide publicity of the Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme. 

Director of Horticulture, Himachal Pradesh,Shimla-2.

Annexure-A-1

List of Gram Panchayats falling under Reference Unit Area (RUA) Theog

_{List of Gram Panchayats falling under Reference Unit Area (RUA) Parala} 

Annexure-A-2 

Annexure-B-1

List of Gram Panchayats falling under Reference Unit Area (RUA) Rohroo

Annexure-C-2

List of Gram Panchayats falling under Reference Unit Area (RUA) Dalash 

_Annexure-I 

COVER 1: Chilling requirement 

Cover Objective: To cover anticipated yield loss if winter chilling requirements are not met.

Cover period 1^st December to 31^st March 

Trigger (payout begins at): 1,200 chill units

Exit (100% payout): 1,000 chill units 

Nature of payout: Consolidated payout for the entire cover period 

Nature of payout: Payout shall be given phase wise 

COVER 4: Unseasonal / Excess Rainfall

Cover Objective: To cover anticipated yield loss because of higher number of rainy days during the cover period (flowering) 

Rainy day: A day with a rainfall of 2.5 mm or more is counted as a rainy day. 

_{Cover Period: 16}th _{March to 30}th _April 

Nature of payout: Consolidated payout for the entire cover period 

 PRODUCT SUMMARY 

Annexure-II 

COVER 1: Chilling requirement 

Cover Objective: To cover anticipated yield loss if winter chilling requirements are not met.

Cover period 1st December to 31st March 

Trigger (payout begins at): 900 chill units

Exit (100% payout): 700 chill units 

Nature of payout: Consolidated payout for the entire cover period 

COVER 2: Temperature fluctuations

Cover Objective: To cover anticipated yield loss due to temperature fluctuations