Farmer applications in crop, weather insurance schemes rose in Dakshina Kannada over five years: Agriculture Ministry

Farmer applications for crop and weather insurance in Dakshina Kannada surged from 56,114 to 2.77 lakh over five years.

Farmer applications benefitted under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) rose steadily in Dakshina Kannada over the past five years, according to the Union Ministry of Agriculture.

Applications increased from 56,114 in 2020-21 to 2.77 lakh in 2024-25, Ramnath Thakur, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare told the Lok Sabha on February 10.

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The applications increased to 92,238 in 2021-22, to 1.43 lakh in 2022-23 and to 2.25 lakh in 2023-24. The total applications in five years stood at 7.95 lakh, the Minister said while replying to a question by Captain Brijesh Chowta, Member of Parliament of Dakshina Kannada.

Of ₹1,115.78 crore of reported claims under the two insurance schemes, ₹1,110.41 crore were paid, and claims to the tune of ₹5.37 crore were pending to be settled during the five-year period, he said.

The Minister said a majority of the admissible claims under PMFBY were settled within the stipulated timelines under the operational guidelines of the scheme by the insurance companies. However, during the implementation of the scheme, some complaints were received in the past about payment of claims which are primarily on account of delay in providing State government share of subsidy; non-payment/delayed payment or under payment of claims on account of incorrect/delayed submission of insurance proposals by banks; discrepancy in yield data and consequent disputes between State Government and insurance companies etc.