Question : Claims under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

(a) whether it is a fact that the much publicized Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) had not provided relief to helpless farmers, if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;

(b) the number of tillers the State Governments and the Union Government have to pay under this scheme with percentage of share of the States and the Union Government;

(c) the details of the total claims received by the Insurance Companies for the Kharif season in 2016; and

(d) whether the Government has fixed any time limit for settling the claims of the affected farmers to avoid any delay in settlement of claim payments, if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

???? ??? ????? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ?????? (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a) to (d): No Madam. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), introduced from Kharif 2016 extended insurance protection to a record number of 573 lakh farmer applicants over an area of 571 lakh hectares in 25 States/Union Territories during 2016-17. As per scheme provisions farmers have to pay a maximum flat premium rate of 1.5% for Rabi, 2.% for Kharif for food and oilseed crops and 5% for annual commercial/horticultural crops and rest of the actuarial/bided premium is paid by the Central and State Governments on 50 : 50 basis. All claims liability is met by the concerned insurance company. Claims of Rs. 14433 crore (including about Rs. 9984 crore for Kharif 2016) have been approved by Insurance Companies for about 112 lakh farmers during 2016-17. Out of which Rs. 12949 crore have already been paid.

Specific timelines have been provided for various activities including settlement of admissible claims by insurance companies within three weeks of receipt of clear yield data from concerned State Governments. Due to this time taken to settle claims has generally been reduced to an average within two months after receipt of yield data, barring those claims that are outstanding due to exceptional reasons such as delay in receipt of State share of subsidy, discrepancy in yield data, unavailability of farmer account details etc.

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