**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in response to questions regarding coverage of crop loss by wild animal attacks under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), to be answered on December 9th, 2025. The document clarifies the scope of coverage and the actions taken by the government in this regard. The report submitted by the committee constituted for “Defining Modalities of Crop Loss by Wild Animal Attack and Inundation for Paddy Crop Under Localised Risk” should be reviewed.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **PMFBY Coverage:**
* PMFBY is voluntary for states and farmers.
* The scheme provides comprehensive risk insurance against crop damage due to non-preventable natural risks, from pre-sowing to post-harvest, for crops/areas notified by the State Government.
* Losses to crops due to wild animals were not previously covered due to their preventable nature.
* **Inclusion of Wild Animal Attacks:**
* At the request of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, States are now allowed to notify losses by wild animals on individual assessment as add-on cover at the State Government's cost.
* Detailed protocols for such coverage are in the Operational Guidelines of the scheme.
* **Inundation Coverage:**
* Inundation as a risk cover is available to all notified crops under PMFBY.
* For hydrophilic crops (paddy, jute, mesta, sugarcane), such cover is available except in cases of localized claims.
* **Committee Report:**
* A committee to define modalities of crop loss by wild animal attack and inundation for paddy crop under localized risk has submitted its report, recommendations, and SOPs.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments**
* **Impact:** States have been allowed to notify the losses by wild animals on individual assessment as add-on cover at the cost of State Government, they can leverage this add-on cover for better protection.
* **Action Required:** Review and implement the detailed protocols for including wild animal attacks under the PMFBY scheme.
**Farmers**
* **Impact:** Farmers now have the potential to receive insurance coverage for crop losses due to wild animal attacks in participating states. Inundation as a risk cover is available to all notified crops under PMFBY. For hydrophilic crops (paddy, jute, mesta, sugarcane), such cover is available except in cases of localized claims.
* **Action Required:** Stay informed about the specific implementation details in their state, including the coverage of losses by wild animal attack under PMFBY, and the report submitted by the committee constituted for “Defining Modalities of Crop Loss by Wild Animal Attack and Inundation for Paddy Crop Under Localised Risk”.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): Crop insurance scheme covering losses due to wild animal attacks and paddy inundation, extending its ambit as per the document.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The primary ministry responsible for the policy related to crop loss coverage under PMFBY.
States: Geographic locations to which the provisions of the PMFBY scheme apply, including the option for States to notify losses by wild animals.
Operational Guidelines of the scheme: The document containing detailed protocol for coverage of crop loss due to wild animal attacks.
Committee constituted for “Defining Modalities of Crop Loss by Wild Animal Attack and Inundation for Paddy Crop Under Localised Risk”: Committee that submitted a report with recommendations and SOPs for coverage of risk related to wild animal attacks and inundation to paddy crops.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1555
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9TH DECEMBER, 2025
COVERAGE OF CROP LOSS BY WILD ANIMAL ATTACKS UNDER PMFBY
1555. SHRI CHAVAN RAVINDRA VASANTRAO:
SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:
SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एव ं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण म(cid:287)ं ी be
pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has recently recognised and notified the modalities for covering crop
loss caused by wild animal attacks and paddy inundation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima
Yojana (PMFBY) by extending its ambit and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of criteria set for assessing losses under each category;
(c) whether these provisions will be applicable to all States or only to those that have opted for the
scheme during the current Kharif and Rabi seasons and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government has prepared any mechanism for ensuring timely assessment,
verification and compensation to affected farmers and if so, the details thereof;
(e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to create awareness among farmers regarding
the availability of insurance coverage for such types of crop losses under PMFBY; and
(f) the time by which the said modalities will be implemented/come into effect?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य मं(cid:287)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) to (f) : The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is voluntary for the States as well as
farmers. The scheme provides for comprehensive risk insurance against crop damage due to
non-preventable natural risks from pre-sowing to post-harvest for the crops/areas notified by the
concerned State Government. The losses to crops due to wild animals, being preventable in
nature, were therefore not covered earlier. However, at the request of Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change and State Governments, States have been allowed to notify the losses
by wild animals on individual assessment as add on cover at the cost of State Government.
Detailed protocol for such coverage has been given in the Operational Guidelines of the scheme.
Inundation as a risk cover is available to all notified crops under (PMFBY). However, for
hydrophilic crops like paddy, jute, mesta, sugarcane, such cover is available except in case of
localized claims.
Further, a Committee constituted for “Defining Modalities of Crop Loss by Wild Animal Attack
and Inundation for Paddy Crop Under Localised Risk” has submitted its report alongwith
recommendations and SOPs for coverage of these risks.
*******