Lok Sabha Question No. 1903 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-11
Subject: Implementation of PMFBY
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Subbarayan K, Com. Selvaraj V

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1903

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 TH  MARCH, 2025

## IMPLEMENTATION OF PMFBY

1903.  SHRI SUBBARAYAN K: COM. SELVARAJ V:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Government has decided to continue the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY);
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether it is a fact that some States have not implemented the scheme;
- (d) if so, the details and reasons therefor;
- (e) whether  there  have  been  any  complaints  about  the  delay  and  inadequate  claim settlements compared to the actual loss to the farmers due to the floods and other weather related damages to crops; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and the Government's reaction thereto?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a) & (b): Yes Sir.  Government has approved the continuation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)  and  Restructured  Weather  Based  Crop  Insurance  Scheme (RWBCIS) till 2025-26 with total outlay  of Rs. 69,515.71 crore for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
- (c) & (d): The PMFBY, introduced in the country from Kharif 2016 season, is available for all States/UTs and is voluntary for the States as well as farmers.   States/UTs are free to subscribe under the scheme  keeping in view their risk perception and financial considerations etc.  Since inception of the scheme 27 States/ UTs have implemented the scheme in one or more seasons.    At present, 23 States/UTs are implementing the scheme.
- (e) & (f): All  the major work like selection of insurance model, selection of Insurance Companies through transparent bidding process, enrollment of farmers, assessment of crop yield/crop loss for calculation of admissible claims are being performed by the concerned State  Government  or  Joint  Committee  of  State  Government  officials  and  concerned insurance company. The roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder are defined in the Operational Guidelines of the scheme for the proper execution of the scheme.

Majority of the claims are settled  within the stipulated timelines under the Operational Guidelines of the scheme by the insurance companies.  However, during the implementation of  PMFBY,  some  complaints  against  insurance  companies  about  non-payment  and/or delayed  payment  of  claims;  under  payment  of  claims  on  account  of  incorrect/delayed submission  of  insurance  proposals  by  banks;  discrepancy  in  yield  data  &  consequent disputes between State Government and insurance companies,  delay in providing State Government  share  of  funds, non-deployment  of  sufficient personnel by insurance companies etc.,  were received in the past which were suitably addressed as per provisions of the scheme.

Since the scheme is implemented by the State Government, therefore, in order to resolve  the  grievances/complaints  including  those  related  to  claims  of  insured  farmers, provision  of  Stratified  Grievance  Redressal  Mechanism  viz.  District  Level  Grievance Redressal Committee (DGRC), State Level Grievance Redressal Committee (SGRC) has been made in the Revised Operational Guidelines of the Scheme.    These committees have been given the detailed mandate as outlined in the Operational Guidelines for hearing the complaints/ grievances   and to dispose them as per the stipulated procedure.

To further improve the grievance redressal mechanism, Krishi Rakshak Portal and Helpline (KRPH) has been developed.  A single Pan-India toll free number 14447 has been deployed and linked to the insurance companies database, where farmers can raise their grievances/issues.  Timelines to resolve these grievances/issues has also been fixed.

Department is regularly monitoring the functioning of insurance companies, including timely settlement of claims through weekly video conferences of all stakeholders, one to one meeting as well as National Review Conferences.

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 periodically revised the Operational Guidelines of the PMFBY comprehensively to ensure that the eligible benefits under the scheme reach the farmers timely and transparently.

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