Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.221

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE 

LOK SABHA

 UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.221 

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11TH DECEMBER, 2018 

221.      SHRI RAJU SHETTY 

             SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA: 

             SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN

             KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE

             Dr. KIRIT P. SOLANKI: 

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृषि  एवं किसान कल्यान मंत्री  

be pleased to state: 

• (a) whether all the farmers in the country have been covered under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and if so, the details thereof along with the number of farmers who got the benefits thereof and the average premium paid by these beneficiaries; 

• (b) if not, the reasons therefor and the steps taken/being taken to enroll all the farmers under the yojana; 

• (c) the number and value of claims received, processed and paid each month since the scheme introduction in 2016 and the average value of processed settlements, State-wise; 

• (d) the number of claims currently pending or dismissed; 

• (e) whether the Government has taken measures to monitor/oversee the processing of these claims and if so, the details thereof; and 

• (f) whether any action has been taken against any insurance company for irregularities in processing and payment of claims under the yojana, if so, the details thereof? 

ANSWER 

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE 

कृषि  एवं किसान कल्यान मंत्रालय मैं राज्य मंत्री  ( SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA) 

           (a) & (b) : Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) are available for all the farmers including sharecropper tenant farmers growing the notified crops in the notified areas. The scheme is compulsory for loanee farmers in areas/crops notified by the concerned State Government and voluntary for non-loanee farmers. Further, the scheme is also optional for the States/Union Territories. As the scheme is not notified by all the States/UTs and for all the crops/areas by the States, all the farmers in the country are not covered under these schemes. As against the premium collected from farmers amounting to Rs. 4216.04 crore in 2016-17, claims of Rs. 16279.25 crore have been paid to farmers. Similarly, claims of Rs. 16967.92 crore have been paid during 2017-18 (Kharif 2017) against premium collected from farmers amounting to Rs. 3038.70 crore. Details of enrolment of farmers, premium paid by them an claims paid are given in following table:

Season	Farmers Enrolled	Farmers Benefitted	Farmers share of premium	Claims Paid
	(In lakhs)		(Rs. in crors)
2016-17	573.15	306.21	4216.04	16279.25
2017-18 (Mainly Kharif, 17)	518.29	159.30	3038.70	16967.92

           (c) to (f): Season-wise details of farmers enrolled, premium received, claims processed, claims approved, claims paid and pending are given in Annexure. To monitor/oversee the claims related issues, various measures, including the following, have been taken :- 

(a) Stipulation of timelines for completion of the following activities :- 

• (i) Submission of proposals by banks to insurance companies, (ii) Assessment of yield by State Government agencies, 

• (ii) Assessment of yield by State Government agencies, 

• (iii) Processing and settlement of claims by insurance companies, (to be done within three weeks of receipt of yield data from State) 

(b) Mandatory use of CCE Agri App/smartphone for transmission of data etc. 

       Further, Crop Insurance Portal has been launched for ensuring better administration, co-ordination amongst stakeholders, transparency and seamless flow of information/data including calculation of claims of individual farmers etc ensure timely settlement of claims. 

        Moreover, Operational Guidelines of the scheme have been revised recently to provide for Penalties/ Incentives for States, Insurance Companies and Banks, i.e., 12% interest rate per annum to be paid by the Insurance Company to farmers for delay in settlement claims beyond 10 days of prescribed cut off date for payment of claims. Similarly, State Govt. have to pay 12% interest rate for delay in release of State share of Subsidy beyond three months of prescribed cut off date/submission of requisition by Insurance Companies.

         Besides above, Department has put a rigorous monitoring mechanism in place in form of weekly review with all stakeholders including States, Insurance Companies, Banks and other supporting agencies, issues based meetings with concerned stakeholders including meetings of Technical Advisory Committee and meetings of National Level Monitoring Committee (NLMC) to ensure early settlement of claims under the scheme.