Krishak Utpadak Kshati Sahayata Yojana – Comprehensive Guide

The Krishak Utpadak Kshati Sahayata Yojana (KUKSY) is a welfare initiative launched by the Agriculture Department of Uttarakhand to protect and support farmers against losses caused by natural disasters and accidents. Uttarakhand, being a hilly state, faces frequent climatic and environmental challenges such as floods, landslides, excessive rainfall, soil erosion, and fire accidents, which often result in significant losses to agricultural produce, cultivated land, livestock, and farmers’ property. Recognizing the vulnerability of farmers, the state government introduced this scheme to provide timely financial compensation and relief to affected farmers, ensuring stability and continuity in agriculture. The scheme is implemented in the notified market areas of Uttarakhand, and the compensation is directly transferred to the farmer’s bank account through a transparent Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, reducing delays and ensuring accountability.

Important Dates

• Launch Date: The exact launch date of the scheme is notified by the Agriculture Department of Uttarakhand in official notifications, and the scheme is currently active in all notified market areas.
• Application Timeline: Farmers must submit their claims within 7 days of the incident to be eligible for compensation.
• Processing Timeline: The Mandi Secretary verifies claims within one week, and the Mandi Committee decides on the claim within three days. Approved amounts are disbursed via DBT within a week of approval.

Objectives of the Scheme

The Krishak Utpadak Kshati Sahayata Yojana is designed with the following objectives:

1. Financial Relief to Farmers: To provide immediate financial support to farmers who incur losses to crops, land, property, or livestock due to natural disasters or fire accidents.
2. Minimizing Agricultural Risk: To reduce the economic burden of crop and property loss, thereby encouraging farmers to continue agricultural activities without fear of catastrophic losses.
3. Ensuring Timely Compensation: To ensure that farmers receive compensation quickly through direct bank transfers, minimizing the need for lengthy bureaucratic procedures.
4. Promoting Sustainable Farming: To protect cultivated land and crops, allowing farmers to recover from adverse events and continue sustainable farming practices.
5. Transparency and Accountability: To establish a transparent and accountable mechanism for investigating and approving claims, reducing malpractices and delays.

Key Features of the Scheme

The scheme includes several features that make it farmer-centric and effective:

1. Coverage of Multiple Risks: Compensation is provided for losses caused by:
   • Fire accidents in fields where crops are ready for harvest.
   • Fire damage to harvested crops stored in the field or threshing yards.
   • Residual parts of crops after harvest.
   • Fire accidents in farmers’ houses affecting property and livestock.
   • Floods and excessive rainfall leading to crop or land damage.
   • Soil erosion affecting cultivable land.
2. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): The compensation amount approved is directly transferred to the farmer’s bank account, ensuring a secure and timely transfer of funds.
3. Offline Application Process: Farmers can submit claims through offline applications, ensuring accessibility for those in rural or remote areas.
4. Verification Mechanism: Claims are thoroughly investigated by the Mandi Secretary and verified by the Mandi Committee before approval to ensure fairness and accuracy.
5. Quick Decision-Making: The Mandi Committee reviews and approves claims promptly within a defined timeline to ensure farmers are not left waiting for long periods.
6. Farmer Awareness: Farmers are notified about the status of their claim and the transfer of funds, ensuring transparency and building trust in the system.

Compensation Amount

The compensation under the Krishak Utpadak Kshati Sahayata Yojana is determined on a case-by-case basis after thorough verification of losses. The exact amount depends on:

• The type of loss (fire, flood, excessive rainfall, or soil erosion).
• The extent of damage to crops, land, property, or livestock.
• Verified evidence and investigation reports submitted to the Mandi Committee.

Once approved, the compensation is directly transferred to the farmer’s bank account 4000 per month via DBT within one week of approval.

If you’d like, I can help you add estimated compensation slabs (for example: “up to ₹50,000 for crop loss,” “up to ₹1 lakh for property/livestock damage”)

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for compensation under the scheme, farmers must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Residency: The applicant must be a resident of Uttarakhand state.
2. Age Requirement: The applicant must be at least 18 years old to qualify for the claim.
3. Market Area Coverage: The scheme is applicable only in notified market areas where the Agriculture Department has jurisdiction.
4. Incident Reporting: Claims must be submitted within 7 days of the incident to the relevant authorities.
5. Documentation: The applicant must submit the prescribed application form, available free of cost at the Mandi office.

Reservation Policy

The Krishak Utpadak Kshati Sahayata Yojana does not explicitly mention caste- or category-based reservations for compensation, as the scheme primarily focuses on need-based financial assistance to farmers affected by natural disasters or accidents. All eligible farmers meeting the residency, age, and damage criteria can apply for compensation. However, the Agriculture Department ensures that the verification and approval process is fair and inclusive for all farmers in the notified market areas.

Distribution of Compensation

The compensation is distributed in the following manner:

1. Submission to Mandi Secretary: Farmers submit the application within seven days of the incident.
2. Investigation: The Mandi Secretary investigates and verifies the claim within one week.
3. Committee Decision: The verified report is submitted to the Mandi Committee, chaired by the Chairman or Administrator, which decides on the claim within three days.
4. Approval by Mandi Council: The approved claim is sent to the Mandi Council office for final verification and approval.
5. Direct Transfer: The approved compensation is transferred directly to the farmer’s bank account via DBT within one week of approval.
6. Notification to Farmer: The farmer is informed about the approval and the transfer of funds.

This step-wise process ensures timely, transparent, and accountable distribution of compensation to farmers in need.

Application Process (Step by Step)

Step 1: Obtain Application Form

• Visit the nearest Mandi office to obtain the prescribed application form, which is available free of cost.

Step 2: Submit Application

• Fill in the details accurately and submit the form within 7 days of the incident to the Mandi Secretary/Chairman/Administrator or the local Tehsildar.

Step 3: Verification by Mandi Secretary

• The Mandi Secretary investigates the claim, verifies the extent of damage, and prepares a report within one week.

Step 4: Submission to Mandi Committee

• The verified report is submitted to the Mandi Committee, which is responsible for evaluating the claim.

Step 5: Decision by Committee

• The Committee meets and decides on the claim within three days. The approved amount is forwarded to the Mandi Council office for final approval.

Step 6: Final Verification and Approval

• The Mandi Council verifies the claim and approves the compensation amount based on the committee’s recommendations.

Step 7: Direct Benefit Transfer

• The approved compensation amount is transferred directly to the farmer’s bank account via DBT within one week of approval.

Step 8: Notification

• The farmer is notified about the approval and transfer of funds, ensuring transparency in the process.

Renewal Policy

The Krishak Utpadak Kshati Sahayata Yojana is incident-based, and compensation is provided per event. Farmers cannot “renew” claims; however:

• In case of repeated damage or separate incidents, the farmer can file new claims for each event.
• Timely submission of new claims is required within 7 days of the new incident.
• Each claim is independently verified, approved, and compensated through the DBT system.

This ensures continuous support for farmers facing recurrent natural or accidental risks.

Withdrawal and Disqualification

• Claims may be rejected or withdrawn if:
  • The incident is not reported within the stipulated 7-day timeline.
  • The submitted information or documents are found to be false or misleading.
  • The applicant does not meet residency or age requirements.
  • The Mandi Committee or Mandi Council identifies discrepancies in the investigation report.
• Farmers are encouraged to provide accurate information and evidence to avoid delays or disqualification of their claims.

Benefits and Impact

The Krishak Utpadak Kshati Sahayata Yojana has multiple positive impacts on Uttarakhand’s farming community:

1. Financial Security: Farmers receive timely compensation, reducing financial stress caused by crop and property loss.
2. Agricultural Sustainability: By mitigating losses, the scheme ensures that farmers can continue cultivating crops despite natural disasters.
3. Rapid Relief: Quick approval and direct bank transfers ensure immediate relief, helping farmers recover and invest in the next cropping season.
4. Protection of Livelihoods: The scheme safeguards the livelihoods of farmers and their families, especially in rural and hilly regions vulnerable to climatic events.
5. Encourages Reporting: Clear and simple application processes encourage farmers to report losses and access government support without bureaucratic hurdles.