(a) whether it is a fact that farmers in the country have been demanding to set up a fund for Natural Disaster Compensation for farmers;
(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
(c) whether it is also a fact that farmers across the country were not interested in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana as the same is not bringing any relief to them, if so the details thereof?
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) & (b): Ministry of Home Affairs have informed that no such demand has been received in that Ministry. However, for providing relief to people, including farmers affected due to 12 notified natural calamities, there exists a fund, named as State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in all the States.
(c): No Sir. Due to improved features of the “Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana” (PMFBY), coverage under the scheme has increased to 30% of the Gross Cropped Area (GCA) from 23% in 2015-16 under erstwhile schemes. During 2019-20, participation of non-loanee farmers, for whom the scheme was only voluntary, has increased from 5% under erstwhile schemes to 37% under PMFBY and farmer applications have also increased from about 3.5 crore under erstwhile schemes to about 6 crore under PMFBY, showing the acceptability of the scheme by the farmers. During the period from 2016-17 to 2019-20, total claims of Rs. 87,507.92 crore have been paid to the farmers against the premium of Rs. 16,101.33 crore by them.
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