Lok Sabha Question No. 1340 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-11
Subject: Financial Assistance to Onion Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Bachhav Shobha Dinesh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1340

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 TH  FEBRUARY, 2025

## FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ONION FARMERS

1340. DR. BACHHAV SHOBHA DINESH: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has assessed the loss suffered by the onion farmers in the country and if so, the details thereof, State-wise especially in Maharashtra;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to provide any financial assistance to onion farmers especially in Maharashtra, if so, the details thereof, including funds allocated for the purpose, if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c) whether the Government has received any proposals regarding the same from the State Government of Maharashtra, if so, the details thereof including the action taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) to (c):  With a view to provide financial support to the farmers in the event of loss to crop due to non-preventable natural calamities, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)  and  Restructured  Weather  Based  Crop  Insurance  (RWBCIS)  has  been introduced in the country from Kharif 2016 season. PMFBY  provides for comprehensive risk insurance against crop damage to food crops (cereals, millets and pulses), oilseeds and annual commercial horticultural crops notified by the concerned State  Government  from  pre-sowing  to  post-harvest  stages  of  the  crops  at  very minimum premium for farmers.    Onion crop can be notified by the concerned State Government.  Maharashtra Government has notified onion crop under the scheme.

In addition to Maharashtra State Government, State Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal have notified the Onion crop in one of more seasons in their States.

PMFBY is mainly implemented on 'Area Approach' basis, where no intimation is required to be made by the farmers or the concerned State Government.    Admissible  claims  are  worked  out  and  paid  directly  to  the  insured farmer's account by the insurance companies through DigiClaim module on National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP), based on the yield data per unit area furnished to the insurance company by the concerned State Government and claim calculation formula envisaged in the Operational Guidelines of the scheme.

However, losses due to localized risks of hailstorm, landslide, inundation, cloud burst & natural fire and post-harvest losses due to cyclone, cyclonic/unseasonal rains & hailstorms are  calculated on  individual  insured  farm  basis.    Farmers  required  to intimate the loss to the concerned insurance company, State Government, financial institutiions/banks, online on National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) or PMFBY app etc.     These claims are assessed by a joint committee comprising representatives of State Government and concerned insurance company.

Details of number of farmer applications enrolled, Central Government share in premium subsidy and claims paid to onion growing insured farmers under PMFBY are given in Annexure .

Annexure State-wise details of farmer applications enrolled, Central Government share in premium and claims paid to Onion growing farmers from 2019-20 to 2023-24

## under PMFBY

| State             | Farmers Applications   | GOI Share     | Paid Claims   |
|-------------------|------------------------|---------------|---------------|
|                   | (In No.)               | (Rs. In Lakh) | (Rs. In Lakh) |
| Andhra Pradesh    | 1,33,124               | 680.13        | 8,471.65      |
| Chhattisgarh      | 7,312                  | 90.42         | 97.04         |
| Madhya Pradesh    | 1,29,996               | 1,305.80      | 9,228.25      |
| Maharashtra       | 16,41,473              | 21,273.16     | 37,439.44     |
| Odisha            | 10,214                 | 5.86          | 15.53         |
| Rajasthan         | 1,53,380               | 6,207.97      | 4,728.66      |
| Tamil Nadu        | 2,65,347               | 4,193.12      | 15,628.71     |
| Telangana         | 22                     | 0.32          | 0.85          |
| West Bengal       | 419                    | 16.87         | -             |
| Total (All India) | 23,41,287              | 33,773.67     | 75,610.11     |

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