Aizawl, February 11 The Mizoram government has launched a livestock insurance scheme to protect the livelihoods of animal rearers in the state, officials said on Wednesday.
The move came amid a devastating outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), which has claimed over 72,000 pigs, resulting in over Rs 1,000 crore in losses for more than 12,500 families since 2021.
The scheme was officially launched by Animal Husbandry and Veterinary (AH &Vety) Minister C Lalsawivunga on Tuesday, following the signing of an agreement between the AH &Vety department and National Insurance Company Limited, which has been designated as the primary implementing agency, the officials said.
The insurance will cover a wide range of livestock, including pigs, cattle, mithun (a local goat), goats, and sheep, they said.
The premium structure has also been highly subsidized.
General farmers are required to pay only 15 per cent of the insurance premium, while the share for 'progress partners' or beneficiaries under the state's flagship 'Bana Kaih' (Handholding) scheme will be fully subsidized, allowing them to insure their animals at zero cost, the officials added.
Lalsawivunga said that the ASF outbreak has dealt a significant blow to Mizoram's goal of becoming self-sufficient in pork production.
He said that the government initially faced challenges in attracting insurance providers due to the high risks associated with the swine disease.
Regarding the newly launched animal insurance, the Centre has reduced the state's matching share from 30 per cent to 10 per cent following a special request, he said.
"The central government has already released the first instalment of Rs 66.49 lakh, which will be used to insure 4,545 animals in the initial phase," Lalsawivunga said.
He added that ASF has been declared a 'state-specific disaster', and compensation has already been distributed to affected families.
The ASF outbreak was first reported at Lungsen village in Lunglei district near the Bangladesh border on March 21, 2021.
Since then, 72,012 pigs have been killed, affecting over 12,500 families and incurring a staggering financial loss of Rs 1,011.27 crore, according to AH &Vety department's Deputy Director (disease investigation and epidemiology) Esther Lalzoliani Ralte.