Indian crop cover call after heavy rain

BOMBAY - Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has emphasised the need to provide a revised and more effective crop insurance scheme to protect farmers from the ravages of flood and drought. His remarks came in the wake of some of the worst floods seen in north-eastern India over the last two decades. These floods, which have badly ravaged Bangladesh, have also affected crops in the north-eastern states of Assam, West Bengal, Nagaland and Orissa; and in the northern states of Punjab and Haryana. Mr Vajpayee said there had been extensive crop damage due to unseasonal and heavy rains.