The scheme which was proposed by the previous regime of Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, would cover all the crop in the state including cotton and sugarcane, Deshmukh told reporters at Saoner near here on Monday. The scheme was given the green signal at a Cabinet meeting in Mumbai, he said adding that the Saffron alliance had excluded cotton and sugarcane from the scheme.

The insurance company, General Insurance Corporation (GIC) has asked the Democratic Front government to keep fruits and vegetables to exclude from scheme for sometime, he stated. As per the scheme, all the insured crops would be protected against the losses in production due to natural calamity and other reasons. Deshmukh further informed that with the introduction of the scheme, the existing system of giving compensation to those who suffered 50 per cent crop damage would come to an end. No financial compensation would be given to the farmers availing of the insurance scheme, he added.