Sat raises issue of crop damage compensation in RS
Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Mar 16: Farmers in Jammu & Kashmir have received substantial financial assistance under PMFBY during the last three years. Claims amounting to Rs6.34 crore benefitted 17,385 farmer applications in 2022–23, Rs 34.78 crore benefitted 69,245 farmers in 2023–24, and Rs 26.45 crore benefitted 93,701 farmer applications in 2024–25.
This information was given by Minister of State of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Bhagirath Choudhary in Rajya Sabha in response to a unstarred question of Sat Pal Sharma, MP Rajya Sabha from J&K today.
Responding to the query, Minister of State for Agriculture informed the House that the Government of India is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) to protect farmers against crop yield losses due to natural calamities, adverse weather conditions, pests, and diseases. The schemes provide comprehensive risk coverage and financial protection to farmers, ensuring that they are not left helpless in the face of agricultural losses.
Sat Pal Sharma who is also president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Jammu & Kashmir, asked for the details regarding compensation for crop damage suffered by farmers in Jammu & Kashmir through an unstarred question in the House to which the Union Ministry of Agriculture and farmers welfare provided a detailed reply.
The Ministry further stated that relief in case of natural calamities is primarily provided by the State Government through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), while additional assistance in severe disasters may be provided through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) after proper assessment.
To ensure transparency and timely settlement of claims, the Government has introduced several technology-driven reforms under PMFBY, including the National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP), the Digiclaim Module for faster claim processing, strict penalty provisions for delays by insurance companies and State governments, and the adoption of modern technologies such as remote sensing-based yield estimation and advanced weather monitoring systems.
Seeking clarity from the Government, Sat Sharma asked whether compensation is provided to farmers in Jammu & Kashmir for crop damage caused due to adverse weather conditions and wildlife, the schemes currently in place for the purpose, the number of farmers who have received compensation in the last three years, and the steps taken to ensure timely assessment and disbursal of financial assistance to affected farmers.
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