Nanded Crop Insurance Scam Unveils Nationwide Fraud Network
After the infamous fake crop insurance scam in Beed district, a similar large-scale fraud has now surfaced in Nanded. A formal case was registered with the Nanded police late Monday night, revealing a network of fraudulent activities involving crop insurance claims filed under the names of thousands of farmers — some of whom aren’t even from Maharashtra.
According to the preliminary investigation, bogus insurance policies were issued in the names of 4,453 farmers across 40 Setu Suvidha Kendras (public service centers). Shockingly, nine of these centers are operated by agents from the Parli area of Beed district. In a further twist, investigators found that information of farmers from Uttar Pradesh was used to falsely claim crop insurance in Nanded.
The fraudulent activities were carried out under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) — a flagship crop insurance scheme implemented by the Central Government in partnership with United India Insurance Company.
Investigators believe that from 2024 onward, a number of agents began exploiting loopholes in the system. They allegedly insured land parcels in the names of government institutions or government-owned lands — without proper authorization or the knowledge of the landowners.
The scam appears to span multiple districts, with agents from Pune, Parbhani, Latur, Jalna, Nanded, and Uttar Pradesh believed to be involved. The fraudulent transactions have raised serious concerns about the credibility and transparency of government welfare schemes.
In the wake of these revelations, the opposition launched a scathing attack on the government during the ongoing Assembly session. "Farmers are not getting anything for free. In fact, the government is looting Rs 11,000 from farmers in the name of GST," alleged opposition leaders.
Police investigations are currently underway, and further arrests are expected as authorities dig deeper into the inter-district and interstate links in this elaborate scam. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the government to tighten monitoring mechanisms and ensure stricter enforcement of eligibility and verification protocols under the PMFBY.