Pm Fasal Bima Yojana Upsc
PM Fasal Bima Yojana is an important policy initiative by the Government of India to provide insurance coverage for agricultural crops. As an aspiring civil servant, I am deeply interested in understanding the nuances and implications of this policy. In this article, I will discuss the key features of this scheme, its objectives, the challenges it faces, and its implications for the agricultural sector in India. By exploring the details of this policy, I hope to gain a better understanding of how it can help the Indian agricultural sector become more resilient and prosperous.
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PM Fasal Bima Yojana
PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a government initiated agricultural insurance scheme set up in 2016. The scheme is designed to protect farmers from losses due to natural calamities like floods, pests and diseases. It provides a low premium of 2% for kharif crops, and 1.5% for rabi crops. Though the scheme is largely beneficial to farmers, it has been noted that the implementation is marred with issues like misappropriation of funds, poor awareness and late payouts.
The scheme covers several crops like rice, maize, jowar, bajra, arhar, urad, moong and groundnuts. The coverage also extends to horticultural and commercial crops. The insurance is provided by the Central Government and the state governments, in collaboration with public and private insurance providers.
PMFBY is a major step towards the development of Indian agriculture. It provides a cushion against losses due to calamities. The scheme also encourages the farmers to grow high-value crops, and helps them secure better income. The scheme has been well-received by the farmers, with the number of insured farmers increasing every year.
The central government has taken several steps to ensure the success of the scheme. It has set up monitoring authorities in the states to track the progress of the scheme, and take corrective measures. It has also launched websites and mobile apps with relevant information like farmer enrollment, list of notified crops, and insurance companies. Furthermore, the government has undertaken awareness campaigns to educate the farmers about
Aim of the Yojana
PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a flagship scheme of the Government of India aiming to provide insurance cover to farmers against crop damage due to unseasonal rainfall and other natural disasters. The scheme was introduced in 2016, and aims to provide protection to farmers and small and marginal landholders against the losses incurred due to a decrease in crop yield due to natural calamities.
As per the official website, PMFBY offers a comprehensive insurance package with a premium rate of only 2%. This insurance package covers not just natural disasters, but also post-harvest losses. Under the scheme, farmers are provided with compensation in the event of crop damage due to natural calamities such as drought, floods, hailstorms, etc.
The scheme also provides for a financial inclusion for the farmers as it offers a simple claim settlement process. According to reports, over 18.6 million farmers have already benefited from this scheme and the Government of India has allocated a budget of Rs. 13,805 crore in the current year to finance the scheme.
In addition to providing financial assistance to farmers, the scheme also aims to promote the use of technology in agriculture by encouraging the use of mobile apps, satellite images and weather forecasts to assess the risk of crop damage. The use of technology will help farmers in making informed decisions regarding crop selection, cultivation and harvesting.
The PMFBY has been successful in providing farmers with financial security against natural disasters and is helping in improving the agricultural sector by promoting the use of technology. The Government of India is
Benefits of the Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a revolutionary scheme introduced by the Government of India in 2015 to help farmers protect their produce against natural and other risks. It is hailed as the biggest crop insurance scheme in the world. PMFBY provides financial protection and covers yield losses due to natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes, diseases, and pest attacks.
The scheme helps reduce the risk of losses in farm incomes, improves efficiency in agricultural production, and supports resource use efficiency in farming. It also incentivizes investment in farm infrastructure and technology that enables cost-effective risk reduction. This in turn can help boost incomes and reduce poverty in rural areas.
Under the PMFBY, farmers need to pay a maximum of just 2% of the sum insured as the premium for Kharif crops and 1.5% for Rabi crops. The Government of India will pay the remaining premium. Farmers are also eligible to receive the claim amount within a maximum of two weeks of lodging the claim.
A recent report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare revealed that the PMFBY scheme disbursed claims amounting to Rs. 93,899 crore to farmers between April 2016 and February 2020. This is a testament to the success and importance of the scheme in protecting India’s farmers against crop risks.
Overall, the PMFBY is a major step forward in helping India’s farmers secure their income and livelihoods. The scheme has been instrumental in providing farmers with
Eligibility Criteria
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched in 2016 to provide comprehensive crop insurance coverage to farmers in India. It is a crop insurance scheme that seeks to provide farmers with financial protection against crop losses due to natural calamities, pests, diseases and other risks. This insurance scheme is applicable to a variety of crops, including cereals, oilseeds, pulses, and horticultural crops.
In order to be eligible for this insurance scheme, the farmer must have a valid land document, be engaged in agricultural activities and have a valid name in the farmer’s list of the respective state. The insurance company that is chosen to provide the coverage will determine the eligibility criteria for the premium. The premium amount is based on the risk associated with the crop and the type of insurance coverage.
The PMFBY offers several benefits to the farmers. It provides financial protection against crop losses due to natural calamities and other risks, provides monetary support in times of crop loss and helps in restoring the economic well-being of the farmers. Additionally, it helps in increasing the income of farmers by providing them with timely financial assistance.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has been appointed as the nodal agency for the implementation of PMFBY. NABARD is responsible for the monitoring, supervision and implementation of the scheme. It ensures that the scheme is being implemented properly and provides technical assistance to the states in implementing the scheme.
As of 2018, the
Challenges
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched in 2016 to provide subsidized crop insurance to farmers in India. The scheme has been a great success, with over 37 million farmers now being covered. However, it has also faced a number of challenges over the past few years.
One of the primary challenges to the PMFBY is the lack of awareness among farmers. A large percentage of farmers in India remain unaware of the scheme and its benefits, leading to a lack of enrolment. Additionally, due to the complexity of the scheme’s rules and regulations, many farmers find it difficult to understand the details of the scheme and make the most of it.
Moreover, the scheme has also faced criticism from opposition parties which claim the scheme has not been successful in providing the much-needed relief to farmers. The scheme has also been subject to allegations of misuse and fraud by the insurance companies, leading to delays in claim settlements.
In order to overcome these challenges, the government has started initiatives such as awareness campaigns and digital platforms for farmers to access information about the scheme. The government has also increased the coverage of the scheme to include small and marginal farmers as well as those in unirrigated areas. Additionally, various measures have been taken to ensure transparency and reduce fraud.
With the help of these measures, the PMFBY has been successful in providing the much-needed insurance coverage to farmers and helping them mitigate risks associated with crop production. The scheme is continuously being improved to ensure better coverage
Roles of Upsc
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is an agricultural insurance scheme launched by the Government of India in 2016. It is designed to support the farmers in the event of crop damage due to natural hazards such as unseasonal rains, floods, drought, etc. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the scheme.
UPSC is responsible for the implementation of the PMFBY through a dedicated online portal. The portal allows farmers to register and make claims online. It also provides easy access to crop insurance data, crop-wise coverage and other related information. Furthermore, UPSC ensures that the claims are processed efficiently and timely payments are made to the farmers.
UPSC also plays a key role in monitoring the scheme and its implementation. It regularly reviews the scheme in order to ensure its effectiveness and to identify gaps. It also conducts regular audits of the scheme to ensure that the benefits are reaching the intended beneficiaries. Additionally, UPSC is also responsible for providing technical assistance to the State Governments for the successful implementation of the scheme.
The PMFBY has helped millions of farmers to cope with crop losses due to natural disasters. According to the government, the scheme has resulted in a reduction in the number of farmer suicides in the country. As per a report by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), the number of farmers insured under this scheme has more than doubled since its launch in 2016.
Overall, the
Conclusion
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has been a major success in ensuring farmers are more secure and supported financially. The scheme has witnessed an overwhelming success in the past four years with over 17 million farmers enrolling for the scheme and the total coverage reaching over 290 million acres. This is a major milestone for the Indian agricultural industry and the government for providing financial security to one of the most important segments of the population.
The key features of the scheme including its low premium rates, coverage of an extensive range of crops and flexible payment options have made it appealing to farmers across India. It has been proven to have a significant impact on the agricultural sector and the wider economy, by reducing post-harvest losses and helping farmers manage their finances better.
The government has also taken proactive steps to expand the coverage of the scheme and make it even more accessible. In 2020-21, the government increased the annual premium cap to Rs 20,000, which was further raised to Rs 25,000 in 2021-22. This has allowed more farmers to benefit from the scheme and it is likely to have a positive impact in the long-term.
Overall, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has been a successful and effective scheme that has helped to improve the financial security of millions of farmers across India. It has enabled farmers to manage their finances better and reduce post-harvest losses, making a positive contribution to the agricultural sector and wider economy.
The scheme is likely to continue to expand and
Conclusion
PM Fasal Bima Yojana is a great initiative to improve the lives of farmers across India. It can help provide financial security, reduce the losses due to natural disasters and make farming a more attractive profession. It is important, however, to ensure that farmers are aware of the scheme and its benefits, so that they can make the most of it. Governments must take the necessary steps to make this happen, as well as to encourage people to take up farming as a profession. This scheme can definitely help make a difference in the lives of many farmers and ultimately, in the country as a whole. So, let’s all do our part to ensure that this scheme is successful and that farmers can reap its benefits.
