No proposal to revise subsidy sharing pattern between Centre and states under PMFBY: Narendra Singh Tomar

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar (File image: Twitter)

The government on Friday said there is no proposal under consideration to revise the subsidy sharing pattern between the Centre and states under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana), launched in February 2016, aims at providing financial support to farmers facing crop loss/damage due to natural calamities. The scheme was revamped with effect from kharif season (June-October) of 2020.

Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, said the revamped PMFBY revised the subsidy sharing pattern for north-eastern states from 50:50 to 90:10 between central and state governments. The premium sharing pattern for the remaining states and Union Territories is 50:50 subject to certain conditions. "At present, no proposal to revise the subsidy sharing pattern between Centre and states is under consideration of the government," Tomar added.

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PMFBY provides for comprehensive risk insurance against crop damage due to non-preventable natural risks from pre-sowing to post-harvest for the crops/areas notified by the state governments concerned. However, at the request of state governments, states have been allowed to notify the losses caused by wild animals on individual assessment as add on cover, keeping in view the requirement of the state at their own cost, the minister said.

Asked if hydrophilic crops are covered under the PMFBY, the minister said hydrophilic crops where the water stagnation is generally beneficial for crops like paddy, jute, mesta are not covered under localised risk of inundation only. But these hydrophilic crops are eligible for claims against the aforesaid remaining risks/provisions, including damage of crop reported in the yield estimation through crop cutting experiments under the scheme, he added.

Replying to a separate query, the minister said 382 lakh hectare of gross cropped area has been insured under PMFBY during 2021-22, as per per data available till March 9.