E-Paper
5 years on, PMFBY fails to impress most farmers in Haryana
Almost five years after its launch, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has failed to impress a large section of farmers in Haryana
Almost five years after its launch, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has failed to impress a large section of farmers in Haryana.
As per figures of the PMFBY, only 8.93 lakh hectare or nearly 29% of total 30.80 lakh hectare under wheat, gram, barley, mustard and sunflower crops of rabi season 2020 in state was covered under the scheme.
And around 43% area (10.11 lakh hectare) of total 24.92 lakh hectare under the paddy, bajra, maize and cotton crops of kharif season 2020 were covered despite over 70% of the premium being paid by the central and state governments.
Also, nearly 83% beneficiaries of the scheme in state are loanee farmers as 5.34 lakh beneficiaries of total 6.44 lakh farmers who applied for the scheme in kharif season 2020, have taken loans from government-operated banks. The premium for the crop insurance scheme was deducted from their loan accounts.
Since the scheme has been optional for all farmers and farmers who have taken loans from government-operated banks, have been give a provision to opt out from the schemes by submitting requisite declaration to bank concerned at least seven days prior to the cut-off date for enrolment of farmers for the respective seasons.
But bank officials monitoring the scheme said that most loanee farmers do not even submit their application to opt out from the scheme, which does not cover defaulting accounts, that is why nearly 79% beneficiaries of the scheme are small and marginal farmers and most of them have taken loans.
“For example, in Kharif season 2020, total 7.87 lakh loanee farmers were chosen for the PMFBY and only 2.54 lakh had opted out from the scheme,” said an official, pleading anonymity.
The farmers have several objections with the scheme as they said it doesn’t cover all crops and the amount of claims for 100% damage is also far below than the actual value of the produce.
However, officials said that there was a slight improvement in last kharif season as for the first time since launch of the scheme in 2016, number of non-loanee beneficiaries has increased over 1.10 lakh. Generally, it remains below 15,000. Even in 2018, only 6,880 non-loanee farmers had opted for the scheme.
Deputy director agriculture department, Karam Chand, said, “Around 90% farmers have taken loans and so there number is higher than the non-loanee farmers. But we are working to identify farmers who have not taken loans and we have managed to persuade 5,283 such farmers for the scheme in Kaithal in the kharif season.”
Jagraj Dandi, joint director (statistics) of Haryana state agriculture department, said the response among farmers is increasing year by year. Even the number of non-loanee farmers is increasing significantly.
“Earlier, the crop insurance scheme was mandatory for loanee farmers but now it has been made optional and in some parts of the state, farmers are showing a good response,” Dandi added.
The available yearly progress report revealed that the insurance companies had paid claims of ₹2,715.03 crore to 12.12 lakh farmers, whereas total 49.36 lakh farmers had opted for the scheme and total ₹2,528.73 crore premium, including the share of Centre, state and farmers was paid to the insurance companies from the launch of the scheme in 2016 to kharif season 2019.
