MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
???? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)
(a) : The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was introduced in the country from Kharif 2016 season. Based on the experience and feedback from the stakeholders, scheme has further been revised and revamped with effect from Rabi 2018 and Kharif 2020-21 season. PMFBY aims at supporting sustainable income in crop production, especially in adverse climatic conditions by way of:
• Providing financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of unforeseen events.
• Stabilizing the income of farmers to ensure their continuance in farming.
• Encouraging farmers to adopt innovative and modern agricultural practices.
• Ensuring credit worthiness of the farmers, crop diversification and enhancing growth and competitiveness of agriculture sector besides protecting the farmers from production risks.
Earlier the scheme was mandatory for farmers availing crop loans/Kisan Credit Card loans and optional for others. However, the Scheme has now been made optional for all farmers w.e.f. Kharif 2020 season. Brief features of revamped PMFBY are at Annexure-I.
(b) & (c) : Government has taken several steps to create substantial awareness about the scheme amongst beneficiaries so that they can enroll themselves voluntarily under the scheme. The Government has made provision to ensure availability of adequate funds for awareness of PMFBY from Rabi 2018-19. The revised Operational Guidelines for PMFBY which came into effect from 1st October 2018 have provided that the insurance companies should compulsorily spent atleast 0.5% of the total gross premium collected by them for Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities.
The Government has actively supported the awareness activities being carried out by the States, implementing Insurance Companies, financial institutions, and CSC network to disseminate key features of PMFBY amongst farmers and members of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). All the grass root level organisations responsible to implement PMFBY are actively involved in building capacity of farmers to take informed decisions. Since, the Revamped PMFBY is being implemented from Kharif 2020, and has been made voluntary for all the farmers, the behavioural change communication activities are being conducted through various media tools viz Print, electronic, Digital and Social Media etc. Mobile IEC vehicles also being used to motivate farmers during enrolment campaign at grass root level.
Apart from this, other activities for awareness generations involve the publicity of key features and benefits of the scheme through advertisements in leading National and local newspapers, airing of audio-visual spots on regional / local channels, distribution of IEC material in local languages, dissemination of SMS through Kisan / NCIP portal and organisation of online workshops of all stakeholders including farmers, Panchayat Members, and other key stakeholders.
Further, a structured awareness campaign ‘Crop Insurance Week/Fasal Bima Saptah’ was initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare since Kharif 2021 under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, an initiative to celebrate 75 years of India’s independence, in all the PMFBY notified districts with special emphasis on aspirational/tribal districts. The core focus of the campaign is to increase the awareness and benefits of the scheme, sensitize the stakeholders and to increase overall enrolment of farmers, thereby helping them to reap the benefits of crop insurance with special focus on identified aspirational/tribal districts. The next crop insurance week is to be celebrated during Rabi 2021-22 with a view to create awareness amongst all stakeholders while targeting floating population of farmers at weekly bazar, rural haats, APMC Mandis, Rural fairs / Festivals including Block and Gram Panchayats etc. from 1st December to 7th December, 2021.
(d) : Stratified Grievance Redressal System starting from block level to district level and State level has been included in the Operational Guidelines of PMFBY. Accordingly, most of the PMFBY implementing States have notified the constitution of Block level/District level and State level Grievance Redressal Committees under the Scheme to dispose off the grievance as per given time frame.
(e) : State-wise details of beneficiaries number of farmer applications benefitted under the scheme are given in Annexure-II. District-wise details of farmers applications benefitted in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh are given in Annexure-III.
Download PDF Files
