Lok Sabha Question No. 1221 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-27
Subject: Benefit of Crop Insurance
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Rama Devi, Sunil Kumar Pintu

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1221

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 TH   JULY, 2021

## BENEFIT OF CROP INSURANCE

† 1221 SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI: SHRI SUNIL KUMAR PINTU:

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

(a) whether the Government is aware that farmers are not getting the full benefit of the crop  insurance  scheme  and  on  time  in  the  country,  especially  in  Bihar  and  many insurance companies have opted out of this scheme;

(b) if so, the reasons therefor;

(c)  the  steps  being taken  afresh  to  ensure  that  farmers get  proper benefits of  the  said insurance scheme in time and to remove such impediments; and

(d) if so, the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a)  to  (d)  :    The  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)  is  available  for  all States/UTs and farmers whether loanee, non-loanee, share cropper or tenant farmers on voluntary basis.   The concerned State Government notifies the crops and areas under the Scheme.    Therefore, benefits of the scheme are available to all those farmers who are  growing  notified  crops  in  areas/insurance  units  notified  by  the  concerned  State Government.    Bihar State Government implemented the PMFBY in 2016-17 and 201718 and discontinued the scheme from 2018-19.  Thereafter, State Government of Bihar is implementing its own scheme namely, 'Bihar Rajya Fasal Sahayata Yojana'.

Based  on  the  experience  gained,  views  of  various  stakeholders  and  with  a  view  to ensure better transparency, accountability, timely payment of claims to the farmers and to make the scheme more farmer friendly, Government has comprehensively revised and revamped  the  Operational  Guidelines  of  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana (PMFBY) with effect from Rabi 2018 and Kharif 2020 respectively to ensure the targeted delivery of benefits of the scheme to the farmers adequately and timely.

Further, National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) has been developed for ensuring better administration, co-ordination, transparency, dissemination of information and delivery of services  including  direct  online  enrollment  of  farmers,  uploading/obtaining  individual insured  farmer's  details  for  better  monitoring  and  to  ensure  transfer  of  claim  amount electronically  to  the  individual  farmers  Bank  Account.    To  ensure  timely  payment  of claims, use of smartphone/CCE-Agri App for real time transfer of data on national crop insurance portal has been initiated.     Crop Insurance app has also been launched, on which farmers can enroll themselves under the scheme, track their crop insurance and get all information about it. Penalty  provisions  @12%  per  annum  for  late  settlement  of  claims  by  insurance companies and late release of funds by State Governments have also been stipulated under the scheme.

As a result of these measures farmer friendly measures since inception of the scheme in 2016-17, against the premium of Rs. 21614 crore paid by farmers, the claims amounting to Rs. 97719 crore have been paid to 834.6 lakh farmer applications.

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