Executive Summary:
This document provides a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 383 regarding the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). It details the number of farmers benefitted under the scheme during 2022-23 and 2023-24, including specific data for Maharashtra. The document also addresses complaints regarding claim settlement delays and outlines technological measures being adopted to improve weather information for farmers. The scheme was introduced in Kharif 2016.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **PMFBY Overview:**
* The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was introduced in Kharif 2016 and is voluntary for states and farmers.
* **Farmers Enrolled and Claims Received:**
* 2022-23: 1,120 lakh farmers enrolled; 334 lakh received claims.
* 2023-24: 1,434 lakh farmers enrolled; 376 lakh received claims.
* **Maharashtra Specific Data:**
* 2022-23: 107 lakh farmers enrolled; 76 lakh received claims.
* 2023-24: 242 lakh farmers enrolled; 132 lakh received claims.
* **Claim Settlement Process:**
* State governments or joint committees handle insurance model selection, company selection, farmer enrollment, and crop loss assessment.
* Claims are typically settled within 21 days of receiving yield data from the state government.
* **Complaints and Grievances:**
* Complaints received relate to delays in state subsidy payments, incorrect/delayed insurance proposals by banks, and yield data discrepancies.
* Pending claims are settled after resolution of issues.
* **Government Measures for Improvement:**
* Development of the National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) for data management, subsidy payment, and direct farmer enrollment.
* DigiClaim module operationalized from Kharif 2022 for timely claim payments, integrating NCIP with PFMS.
* A 12% penalty is auto-calculated and levied on insurance companies for delayed payments through NCIP, effective Kharif 2024.
* Central government share of premium subsidy delinked from state governments to ensure proportionate claims.
* Mandatory ESCROW account opening by state governments for advance deposit of premium share from Kharif 2025.
* Use of CCEAgri App for capturing Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) data and uploading to NCIP.
* Integration of state land records with NCIP.
* **Technological Initiatives:**
* Yield Estimation System Based on Technology (YESTECH) for remote sensing-based yield estimation (paddy, wheat from Kharif 2023, soybean from Kharif 2024).
* Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS) for hyperlocal weather data collection at GP/Block level with interoperability and data sharing with IMD (5x existing network).
* **Monitoring:**
* Regular monitoring of insurance companies through weekly video conferences, meetings, and national review conferences.
Impact Analysis:
* **Farmers:**
* *Impact:* Benefit from crop insurance coverage, timely claim settlement, and access to accurate weather information.
* *Action Required:* Enroll in PMFBY, provide accurate information for insurance proposals, and utilize available weather data for informed decisions.
* **State Governments:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for implementation of PMFBY, including selection of insurance companies, enrollment of farmers, and assessment of crop loss. Required to ensure timely payment of premium subsidies and accurate yield data.
* *Action Required:* Select insurance companies, facilitate farmer enrollment, ensure timely subsidy payments, provide accurate yield data, open ESCROW accounts by Kharif 2025.
* **Insurance Companies:**
* *Impact:* Provide crop insurance coverage and settle claims in a timely manner. Subject to monitoring and penalties for delays.
* *Action Required:* Settle claims within stipulated timelines, participate in monitoring activities, and comply with penalty provisions for delays.
* **Central Government:**
* *Impact:* Oversees the implementation of PMFBY, provides premium subsidies, and develops technological solutions for improved implementation.
* *Action Required:* Continue to monitor the implementation of PMFBY, provide necessary subsidies, and further develop and deploy technological solutions.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): A government-sponsored crop insurance scheme in India.
Maharashtra: A state in India, specifically mentioned for details regarding farmer applications and claims under PMFBY.
National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP): A single source of data for subsidy payment, coordination, transparency, dissemination of information and delivery of services related to crop insurance.
Public Finance Management System (PFMS): A platform integrated with NCIP and insurance companies' accounting systems for timely and transparent processing of claims.
Kharif: Refers to the monsoon or autumn crop season in India, relevant as PMFBY was introduced from Kharif 2016 season and Digiclaim Module has been operationalized for payment of claims from Kharif 2022 onwards.
YESTECH Yield Estimation System Based on Technology: A system for gradual migration to RemoteSensing based yield estimation to help assess yields as well as fair and accurate Crop Yield Estimation.
WINDS Weather Information Network and Data System: A system for setting up a network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and Automatic Rain Gauges (ARG) for collecting hyperlocal weather data.
India Meteorological Department (IMD): An agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India. It is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and seismology.
O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 383
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22ND JULY, 2025
FARMERS BENEFITTED UNDER PMFBY
383. SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR:
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) the number of farmers who have benefitted so far under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal
Bima Yojana (PMFBY) during the years 2022–23 and 2023–24;
(b) the specific details with respect to the State of Maharashtra;
(c) whether the Government has received any complaints regarding delay in settlement
of claims by insurance companies;
(d) if so, the details of action taken by the Government thereon; and
(e) whether the Government is adopting any technological measures to provide more
accurate and timely weather information to farmers, if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एव ं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य मं(cid:287)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) to (e) : The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) was introduced in the country
from Kharif 2016 season. The scheme is voluntary for the States and farmers. Details
of number of farmer applications enrolled and number of farmer who got claims during
2022-23 and 2023-24 are given below :
Year No. of Farmers Applications No. of farmer
Enrolled (in lakhs) applications who got
claims (in lakhs)
2022-23 1,120 334
2023-24 1,434 376
Specific details in respect of Mahrashtra are given in Table below :
Year No. of Farmers Applications No. of farmer
Enrolled (in lakhs) applications who got
claims (in lakhs)
2022-23 107 76
2023-24 242 132All 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 i.e within 21 days of the receipt requisite yield data
from the concerned State Government, by the insurance companies. However, during
the implementation of PMFBY, some complaints/grievances were received in the past
about payment of claims which are primarily on account of (a) delay in providing State
Government share of subsidy (b) non-payment/delayed payment or under payment
of claims on account of incorrect/delayed submission of insurance proposals by
banks (c) discrepancy in yield data & consequent disputes between State
Government and insurance companies etc. The pending claims on account of these
issue are settled after their resolution as per provisions of the scheme.
Government has taken various steps to strengthen implementation of this scheme,
bring transparency and ensure timely settlement of claims :
Government has undertaken development of National Crop Insurance Portal
(NCIP) as a single source of data ensuring subsidy payment, co-ordination,
transparency, dissemination of information and delivery of services including
direct online enrollment of farmers, uploading/obtaining individual insured famer’s
details for better monitoring and to ensure transfer of claim amount electronically
to the individual farmer’s Bank Account.
In order to rigorously monitor claim disbursal process, a dedicated module
namely ‘Digiclaim Module’ has been operationalized for payment of claims from
Kharif 2022 onwards. It involves integration of National Crop Insurance Portal
(NCIP) with Public Finance Management System (PFMS) and accounting system
of Insurance Companies to provide timely & transparent processing of all claims
w.e.f. Kharif 2024, in case payment is not made timely by Insurance Company,
penalty of 12% is auto-calculated and levied through NCIP. Delinking of Central Government share of premium subsidy from that of State
Governments has been implemented so that farmers can get proportionate
claims relating to the Central Government share.
Opening of ESCROW Account by the State Government concerned for deposit
of their premium share in advance as per provisions of the scheme has been
made mandatory w.e.f. Kharif 2025 season.
Also, towards leveraging technology in implementation of the scheme, various
steps like capturing of yield data/Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) data through
CCE-Agri App & uploading it on the NCIP, allowing insurance companies to
witness the conduct of CCEs, integration of State land records with NCIP etc.
have already been taken to improve timely settlement of the claims to farmers.
Provision of 12% penalty on delay in payment of claims by insurance company
is auto calculated on National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP).
Following technologies for Objective Crop Damage, Loss Assessment and
transparency as well as hyperlocal weather data have also been implemented recently
w.e.f. 2023-24 under the scheme:
i. YES-TECH (Yield Estimation System Based on Technology) for gradual
migration to Remote-Sensing based yield estimation to help assess yields as well
as fair and accurate Crop Yield Estimation. This initiative has been launched for
paddy & wheat crops from Kharif 2023 wherein 30% weightage to yield estimation
will mandatorily be assigned to YES-TECH derived yield. Soybean crop has been
added from Kharif 2024 season.
ii. WINDS (Weather Information Network and Data System) for setting up of
Network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) & Automatic Rain-Gauges (ARG) to
the tune of 5 times of existing network for collecting hyper-local weather data at GP
& Block level. This will be fed into a National database with interoperability & sharing
of data in coordination with India Meteorological Department (IMD). WINDS
provides data not only for YES-TECH but also for effective drought & disaster
management, accurate weather prediction and offering better parametric insurance
products.
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.
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