Insurance scheme to cover dairy farmers, their livestock

The dairy farmers in the state can become the beneficiaries of the Ksheera Santhwanam scheme, jointly introduced by the Kerala State Dairy Farmers Welfare Fund Board and dairy cooperatives. The United India Insurance and the Life Insurance Corporation of India are the sectoral participants.  

Dairy farmers and dairy workers can make contributions commensurate with the size of their respective cooperative and be part of the scheme. 

Four schemes

There will be four schemes. These are the health insurance, accident insurance, life insurance, and ‘Gau’ Suraksha Policy (livestock protection scheme). 

The dairy farmers who supply milk to cooperatives, their spouses, two children under age 25, their parents, the workers of cooperatives would be the beneficiaries. Every dairy farmer can cover their livestock under the scheme. 

Health insurance

A dairy worker/farmer can enlist his/her spouse, two children and parents in the health insurance scheme. Under this scheme, the beneficiaries up to the age of 80 will get Rs one lakh as coverage amount. The age ceiling will not apply to the parents of the beneficiary. The children will be covered until they attain the age of 25 or until they get married. A dairy farmer could add more children as beneficiaries by paying an extra premium. 

Accident insurance

This is a scheme wherein the dairy farmer alone can be the beneficiary. The coverage will be Rs seven lakh and there will be an education grant of up to Rs 50,000. The term is one year. 

The beneficiaries will get the benefit if the policyholder dies in an accident or sustains an impairment or handicap. There is 100 percent cover in the event of accidental death. 

Also, in the unfortunate event of death or permanent disability, the children will get education support. This will come to either 10 percent or Rs 25,000, whichever is lower in the event of one child. It will be Rs 50,000 or 10 percent, in the event of two children. 

Life insurance

The beneficiaries should be between 18 and 60 years of age. The Rs one lakh cover will be for one year. The policy will kick in after 45 days of the beneficiary joining it. (There is an exception if it is an accident death). Suicides will not be covered under the policy. 

Gau Suraksha 

The scheme will cover the entire livestock under the beneficiary farmer. The scheme will have slabs, namely 50,000; 60,000; and 70,000. The filled-in enrolment form should also have a certificate by a veterinary surgeon and the requisite photographs of the livestock. Only those who do this would be allowed to enlist and pay the premium. The photograph of the animal should clearly show the tag number. There should also be a full image of the animal with the tag on. In the event of cattle death, the beneficiary will get the complete amount. For other illnesses including anthrax and foot and mouth disease, the coverage will be 75%. Vaccination of cattle is a prerequisite to get coverage.