MUMBAI, MARCH 20: Chief Minister Manohar Joshi today said the Government will introduce a Bill on crop insurance scheme in the ongoing Budget session of Legislature. He was replying to a question regarding heavy losses incurred by farmers due to untimely rains. Joshi said the Government had already drafted the Bill.According to the provisions of the Bill, farmers would be entitled to 80 per cent of the amount lost. Joshi said the Government was planning to amend the law regarding co-operative banks to keep a check on recovery of loans from farmers. It had been noticed that banks were using `muscle power' to recover loans, the Chief Minister said.Meanwhile, Health Minister D R Aher said the Government was considering a proposal to convert the Haffkine Institute into a Government Department.He was replying to a question from Celin DeSilva (Congress) and Vyamkappa Patki (Janata Dal) about modernisation of the institute which is engaged in training and research in biology and pharmaceuticals.``TheGovernment has received a proposal from the institute requesting it to convert the institute into a Government Department on March 4, 1998 and we are seriously considering it. We are also thinking of depositing Rs 20 crore in the bank for the institute, which will utilise the interest of the amount for its expenses. Also to remove the disparity in salary of the employees of the institute, we would introduce the pay scales recommended by the University Grants Commission, apart from giving them money for over-time and bonus,'' Aher said.Replying to another question, Aher said the Government would not constitute a separate corporation to purchase medicines and medical instruments to be provided to Government hospitals in the State. This follows resentment among manufacturers, distributors and agents of medical products to the said proposal.Replying to a question regarding Slum Redevelopment Scheme, Housing Minister Suresh Jain said in a written reply that a total of 410 proposals were received by theState. Out of them, 322 were sanctioned and the plans for 205 were approved. The Government had cleared the way for a total of 727 buildings, housing 68,282 flats, he said.To another question, Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Ramdas Kadam said the Central Government had refused the State Government's request to reduce the price of wheat the State buys to control wheat price in open market.He said the Central Government had sanctioned a quota of 20,000 tonnes of wheat to Maharashtra for the months of January, February and March each, at the cost of Rs 650 per quintal.
