Waterlogging damaged a 68-year-old farmer’s cotton crop in 2018, and SBI Insurance Company failed to settle his crop insurance under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana , which was launched by the Prime Minister of India in April, 2016.

To aid the farmer, a Haryana Consumer Commission has directed SBI General Insurance Company to pay him Rs 46, 369, along with interest, and also awarded him Rs 10,000 for mental agony, harassment and litigation costs.

President Jagdeep Singh, members Rajni Goyat and Amita Agarwal observed that SBI General Insurance Company had a duty to decide the claim of the farmer within one month from the date of the survey report, but it failed to comply with the direction of the operational guidelines.

Noting that SBI General Insurance refused to resolve a genuine claim, the commission in its October 28 ruling said, “The complainant is well entitled to be compensated for the mental agony and harassment etc.…