In the southern parts of India, coconut is a prime commodity. Growing and selling coconuts proves to be a major part of a farmer’s life down south. However, there happens to be one main issue facing those involved in the coconut business – harvesting coconuts.
As one might know, coconuts grow on tall palm trees and these coconuts refuse to drop by mere shaking of the stalk. To extract coconuts from a palm tree, one has to physically climb atop the tree and manually pluck the coconut from the branch.
This very endeavour has, time and again, proven to be life-threatening to many who attempt this feat. Looking at all the injuries and even deaths resulting from coconut harvesting, the Kerala government has launched a new safety programme – the Kera Suraksha Insurance scheme.
About Kera Suraksha Insurance Scheme
The main objective of the Kera Suraksha Insurance Scheme is to provide monetary insurance coverage to all traditional coconut tree climbers and Friends of Coconut Tree (FoCT) trainees against any kind of accident.
Moreover, the government has increased the insurance amount of ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh per year under the Kera Suraksha Insurance scheme. Most part of the already nominal insurance premium – which stands to be a sum of ₹66 – is already borne by the Coconut board.
However, on the expiry of the policy, the beneficiaries will have to make sure that they renew the policy.
Application for the Kera Suraksha Insurance Scheme
- The candidate has to visit the official website of the Coconut Development Board
- The applicant has to then click on the “Application forms” tab on the homepage. Now, scroll down the next page and click on the Kera Suraksha insurance scheme application form.
- The application form can also be downloaded in the Malayalam language by clicking on the “Kera Suraksha Insurance scheme application form Malayalam”.
- Once downloaded, the applicant has to fill in all the required details in the form which includes details like Name, address, phone number, name of the nominee, etc.
- Below is a picture of the application form’s resemblance:
- The filled-in form along with a Demand Draft or DD for ₹17, drawn in favour of M/s. Oriental Insurance company Ltd., payable at Ernakulam shall be forwarded to the Chairman, Coconut development board, Kerala Bhavan, Kochi 682 011. The Coconut board will bear the balance premium amount of ₹49 for renewing the police.
What are the benefits offered for the Kera Suraksha Insurance Scheme?
Sr. No. | Benefits available – due to accidents only | Sum insured (₹) |
---|---|---|
1 | Death/PTD | 2,00,000 (capital sum insured) |
2 | Permanent Partial Disablement | 1,00,000 |
3 | Hospital Expenses reimbursement | 25,000 |
4 | Ambulance charges | 1,000 |
5 | Weekly compensation in case of TTD | 6,000 |
6 | Bystander expenses in case of Hospitalisation – maximum for 5 days at ₹300 per day | 1,500 |
7 | Funeral expenses in case of accidental death | 5,000 |
Summing it up
With this scheme in effect, tree climbers can now rest assured that their state government has their backs in case things go sideways – and this assurance is all that matters.