Lok Sabha Question No. 2959 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-18
Subject: Coverage of Crop Insurance Schemes
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, Shri Eatala Rajender

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2959

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 18 TH  MARCH, 2025

## COVERAGE OF CROP INSURANCE SCHEMES

## 2959.   SHRI CHAMALA KIRAN KUMAR REDDY: SHRI EATALA RAJENDER:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is working on a comprehensive approach which seeks to ensure food security and farmer livelihoods in the face of a changing climate, as the same is impacting everyone, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  present  and  ongoing  crop  insurance  schemes  covers  only  40%  of  farmers  in  the country  and  the  Government  need  to  get  every  single  farmer  covered  under  the  crop  insurance scheme;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and changes made/implemented till now, in this regard; and
- (d)  the  details  of  funds  sanctioned/spent,  district/State-wise  particularly  in  Andhra  Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab and Haryana?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) : The Government is taking several steps to promote climate resilient agriculture practices in the country. The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) being implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is one of the Missions within the National Action Plan on Climate Change  (NAPCC).  The  Mission  aims  to  implement  strategies  to  make  Indian  agriculture  more resilient to the changing climate. Several schemes have also been initiated under National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) to deal with the adverse climate situations in the agriculture sector. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme increases water use efficiency at the farm level through micro irrigation technologies i.e. drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. Rainfed Area Development

(RAD) scheme is implemented as a component of NMSA and focuses on Integrated Farming System (IFS) for enhancing productivity and minimizing risks associated with climatic variability. The Soil Health  &  Fertility  scheme  assists  states  in  promoting  Integrated  Nutrient  Management  through judicious  use  of  chemical  fertilizers  including  secondary  and  micronutrients  in  conjunction  with organic  manures  &  bio-fertilizers  for  improving  soil  health  and  its  productivity.  Mission  for Integrated  Development of Horticulture, Agroforestry & National  Bamboo Mission also promote climate resilience in agriculture.

The  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  under  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and Farmers Welfare, Government of India has launched a flagship network project namely National Innovations  in  Climate  Resilient  Agriculture  (NICRA).  The  project  aims  to  study  the  impact  of climate change on agriculture including crops, livestock, horticulture and fisheries and to develop and  promote  climate  resilient  technologies  in  agriculture  which  address  vulnerable  areas  of  the country  and  the  outputs  of  the  project  help  the  districts  and  regions  prone  to  extreme  weather conditions like droughts, floods, frost, heat waves, etc. to cope with such extremes. To address the impact of climate change, the National Agricultural Research System under the aegis of ICAR has released a total of 2900 varieties during last 10 years (2014- 2024). Out of which, 2661 varieties are tolerant to one or more biotic and/or abiotic stresses. Climate resilient technologies such as system of  rice  intensification,  aerobic  rice,  direct  seeding  of  rice,  zero  till  wheat  sowing,  cultivation  of climate resilient varieties tolerant to extreme weather conditions such as drought and heat; in-situ incorporation of rice residues; etc. have been developed and demonstrated.

(b) & (c) : The scheme is voluntary for States and farmers.  However, due to the various technical and financial interventions like infusion of technology in terms of YESTECH, WINDS; option of alternative models in addition to original PMFBY model to States/UTs, development of  National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) and Digiclaim module to workout and settle claims directly to farmers account; linking of  State land records with NCIP,  delinking of release of Central Government share in premium subsidy from release of State Government etc.  made by the Government premium rates have  been  significantly  reduced  recently  and  hence  the  premium  liability  of  Central  State Governments  has  been  reduced  significantly.      This  has  encouraged  some  States  like  like Maharashtra, Odisha, Meghalaya, Puducherry and Jharkhand to pay farmers' share in premium fully or  partially.  This  is  a  step  towards  universalization  of  the  scheme  and  consequently  increase  in coverage under the scheme.

The number of farmer applications under PMFBY and RWBCIS has grown by 35% and 28% year-on-year  during  2022-23  and  2023-24,  respectively,  and  has  reached  an  all-time  high  during 2023-24 since the inception of the scheme.

(d) : Being  Central Sector Scheme, State-wise allocation is not made under the scheme.  Central Government's share in premium subsidy is provided to the Central Nodal Agency (CNA) who in turn transfer the share to respective insurance companies as per coverage data available on National Crop Insurance Portal.    Details of Central Government share in premium subsidy given since inception of  the  scheme  in  Kharif  2016  to  2023-24  in  respect of  Andhra    Pradesh,  Telangana,  Punjab  and Haryana is given below :

| Year     | Andhra Pradesh   | Telangana       | Punjab          |   Haryana |
|----------|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------|
| 2016-17  | 301.87           | 89.18           | Not Implemented |     64.87 |
| 2017-18  | 511.66           | 241.57          | Not Implemented |     96.71 |
| 2018-19  | 588.07           | 194.77          | Not Implemented |    262.48 |
| 2019-20* | 503.35           | 320.94          | Not Implemented |    421.49 |
| 2020-21  | Not Implemented  | Not Implemented | Not Implemented |    482.13 |
| 2021-22  | Not Implemented  | Not Implemented | Not Implemented |    447.69 |
| 2022-23  | 1118.51          | Not Implemented | Not Implemented |    480.16 |
| 2023-24  | 416.63           | Not Implemented | Not Implemented |    246.06 |

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