MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)
(a) to (d) : The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was introduced in the country from 2016-17, but collection of granular data of coverage including coverage of small and marginal famers under the scheme on National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) was started from 2018-19. The admissible claims to eligible farmers are paid by concerned insurance companies directly in farmer’s bank account, State-wise details of small and marginal farmers’ applications enrolled under the scheme during 2018-19 to 2020-21 is at Annexure-I. The enrolment of small and marginal farmer applications under the scheme is 83% of the total coverage during 2020-21.
State-wise cumulative details of farmer applications enrolled, claims reported, claims paid and claims pending since inception of the scheme to 2020-21 under PMFBY are given in Annexure-II.
(e) & (f) : Government has taken several steps to create substantial awareness about the scheme amongst farmers including small and marginal farmers 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’ has been 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 planned 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.
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