(PMFBY) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana [2021] | UPSC

(PMFBY) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

      HEADLINES:

Crop Insurance Scheme- The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yajana (PMFBY) successfully completes 5 Years of operations on 13th January 2021

      WHY IN NEWS:

The Scheme benefits farmers who face crop losses due to various reasons

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Schemes

      ISSUE: 

FOCUS

• The scheme was conceived as a milestone initiative to provide a comprehensive risk solution at the lowest uniform premium across the country for farmers.
• The Government of India is committed towards protecting the interests of the farmers.
• Premium cost over and above the farmer share is equally subsidized by States and GoI.
• However, GoI shares 90% of the premium subsidy for North Eastern States to promote the uptake in the region.

• The average sum insured per hectare has increased from ₹15,100 during the pre-PMFBY Schemes to ₹40,700 under PMFBY.
• As an end to end risk mitigation mechanism for farmers, the scheme extends coverage for the entire cropping cycle from pre-sowing to post-harvest including coverage for losses arising out of prevented sowing and mid-season adversities.

NOTABLE EXAMPLES

• Some notable examples of these covers include prevented sowing claims over Rs 500 crore in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka during the Kharif 2019 dry spell.
• Localized calamity claims of over Rs 100 crore in Haryana during Kharif 2018 hailstorm, mid-season adversity claims of nearly Rs 30 crore in Rajasthan during Rabi 2019-20 locust attack.
• Claims to the tune of Rs 5000 crore in Maharashtra during the Kharif 2019 unseasonal rainfall.

TECHNOLOGICAL INTERVENTION

• Integration of land records with the PMFBY portal.

• Machine learning to assess crop losses are some of the key features of the scheme.
• The scheme makes it easier for the farmer to report crop loss within 72 hours of occurrence of any event through the Crop Insurance App, CSC Centre or the nearest agriculture officer.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• COMPULSORY COMPONENT : All farmers availing Seasonal Agricultural Operations (SAO) loans from Financial Institutions (i.e. loanee farmers) for the notified crop(s) would be covered compulsorily.
• VOLUNTARY COMPONENT :  The Scheme would be optional for the non-loanee farmers.

COVERAGE OF RISKS AND EXCLUSIONS

Following stages of the crop and risks leading to crop loss are covered under the scheme.

• PREVENTED SOWING/ PLANTING RISK : Insured area is prevented from sowing/ planting due to deficit rainfall or adverse seasonal conditions
• STANDING CROP (SOWING TO HARVESTING) : Comprehensive risk insurance ; Drought, Dry spells, Flood, Inundation, Pests and Diseases, Landslides, Natural Fire and Lightening, Storm, Hailstorm, Cyclone, Typhoon, Tempest, Hurricane and Tornado.
• POST-HARVEST LOSSES : Coverage is available only up to a maximum period of two weeks from harvesting for those crops which are allowed to dry in cut and spread condition in the field after harvesting against specific perils of cyclone and cyclonic rains and unseasonal rains.
• LOCALIZED CALAMITIES : Loss/ damage resulting from occurrence of identified localized risks of hailstorm, landslide, and Inundation affecting isolated farms in the notified area.

GENERAL EXCLUSIONS

BENEFICIARIES

• The Scheme covers over 5.5 crore farmer applications year on year.
• Till date, claims worth Rs 90,000 crores have already been paid out under the Scheme.
• Aadhar seeding has helped in speedy claim settlement directly into the farmer accounts.

• The Government of India urges farmers to take advantage of the scheme by associating themselves to become self-sufficient in times of crisis and support the creation of an Aatmanirbhar Kisan.

RATE OF INSURANCE AND CLAIMS

The rate of Insurance Charges payable by the farmer will be as per the following table

SOURCES : NATIONALINSURANCE.IN

      IASbhai WINDUP: 

     SOURCES:  PIB  | (PMFBY) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana [2021] | UPSC

Must Read Articles :

ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT 3.0

TELE-LAW SCHEME

SERB-POWER SCHEME

AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR SCHEME

THALASSEMIA BAL SEWA YOJNA

SVAMITVA SCHEME

PLI SCHEME

NAMAMI GANGE MISSION

RASHTRIYA POSHAN MAAH 2020

NATIONAL FISHERIES POLICY

DDU-GKY

NATIONAL SAFFRON MISSION

DISCOVER MORE : SCHEMES

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis & Answer writing video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.