Lok Sabha Question No. 4851 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-23
Subject: Awareness about Crop Insurance Schemes
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Meenakashi Lekhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4851

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 23 RD  JULY, 2019

## AWARENESS ABOUT CROP INSURANCE SCHEMES

## 4851.  SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state :

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  raise  awareness  about  crop  insurance schemes among farmers, if so, the details thereof; and
- (b) the number of public and private companies that are currently offering crop insurance schemes and the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a): Focused  attention  on  increasing  awareness  about  the  schemes  among  all  stakeholders  and appropriate provisioning of resources for the same has been envisaged in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY).      Therefore,  to  enhance  the  awareness  about  the  scheme  among  all  the stakeholders Government regularly undertakes comprehensive publicity and awareness programme to educate the farmers about the benefit of crop insurance schemes.   After launch of PMFBY during 2016,  525  one  day  seminar/kisan  fairs  were  organized  at  various  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  (KVKs) throughout the country.

Further, under the Central Sector Scheme of 'Mass Media Support to Agriculture Extension Scheme (MMSAE)', Government undertaking publicity and creates awareness about schemes of the Department including PMFBY.   Audio Visual spot on PMFBY is telecast/broadcast through DD, DD Kisan and AIR under sponsored programme of Mass Media Scheme from time to time.

PMFBY was also one of the  focused  area  for  Krishi  Kalyan  Abhiyan,  implemented  in  two phases  during  Kharif  2018  and  Rabi  2018-19  in  the  selected  aspirational  districts.      The  campaign focused on disseminating information through group meetings of farmers, training of functionaries and leveraging the potential of Gram Sabhas in respective Gram Panchayats.

In addition, several communications have also been sent to the public representatives including Members of Parliament, representatives of Panchayti Raj Institutions etc.  to encourage farmers to take benefit of the scheme. Thereafter, in addition to above Government has also taken several initiatives including  active  involvement  of  all  stakeholders  especially  States  and  implementing  insurance companies for conduct of publicity campaign/awareness programmes including organization of camps in  the  rural  areas  to  build  farmer  awareness  about  crop  insurance  schemes.        Insurance  companies have  been  asked  to  utilize  0.5%  of  gross  premium  collected  by  them  for  publicity  and  awareness generation.  Other activities for awareness generation involve the publicity of features and benefits of the  scheme  through  advertisements  in  leading  National/local  News  Papers,  telecast  through  audiovisual media, distribution of pamphlets in local languages, participation in agriculture fairs / mela / goshti,  dissemination  of  SMS  through  Kisan  Portal/national  crop  insurance  portal  and  conduct  of workshops/ trainings of State officials, financial institutions and farmers. For non-loanee farmers since crop  insurance  is  optional,  the  Common  Service  Centres  (CSCs)  and  online  enrolment  have  been activated  to  provide  the  services  besides  traditional  modes  like  banks  and  insurance  intermediaries. Due  to  the  efforts  made  by  the  Government  coverage  of  non-loanee,  for  whom  the  coverage  is voluntary, has increased from 5% under erstwhile schemes to 34%, which shows the acceptability of the scheme on voluntary basis.

(b): 18 (Eighteen) general insurance companies have been empanelled for implementation of crop insurance schemes namely, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS).  Selection of specific company in the district/State is made by the concerned State Government through transparent bidding process.  Names of public and private empanelled insurance companies are given in following table:

| PUBLIC SECTOR INSURANCE COMPANIES   | PUBLIC SECTOR INSURANCE COMPANIES               |
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 1.                                  | Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd.     |
| 2.                                  | National Insurance Company Ltd.                 |
| 3.                                  | New India Assurance Company Ltd.                |
| 4.                                  | Oriental Insurance Company Ltd.                 |
| 5.                                  | United India Insurance Company Ltd.             |
| PRIVATE SECTOR INSRUANCE COMPANIES  | PRIVATE SECTOR INSRUANCE COMPANIES              |
| 6.                                  | Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Ltd.    |
| 7.                                  | Bharti AXA General Insurance Company Ltd.       |
| 8.                                  | Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd. |
| 9.                                  | Future Generali India Insurance Company Ltd.    |
| 10.                                 | HDFC-ERGO General Insurance Company Ltd.        |
| 11.                                 | ICICI-Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd.    |
| 12.                                 | IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance Company Ltd.      |
| 13.                                 | Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd.         |
| 14.                                 | SBI General Insurance Company Ltd.              |
| 15.                                 | Shriram General Insurance Company Ltd.          |
| 16.                                 | Tata-AIG General Insurance Company Ltd.         |
| 17.                                 | Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Ltd.  |
| 18.                                 | Royal Sundaram General Insurance company Ltd.   |

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