• Source:JND
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Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana: Following the release of the 21st instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme, the Central government has introduced another major relief measure for farmers. A long-pending demand has now been addressed under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday announced that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will now provide comprehensive coverage for two key types of losses - crop damage caused by wild animal attacks and destruction due to floods or waterlogging from excessive rainfall. Farmers will be fully insured against both these risks under the revised crop insurance framework.

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PM Fasal Bima Yojana To Cover Both Losses From 2026 Kharif Season

The government’s revised framework will come into force from Kharif 2026. “The modalities have been prepared in accordance with the PMFBY Operational Guidelines, ensuring a scientific, transparent and operationally feasible framework for implementation nationwide, and will be rolled out from Kharif 2026,” the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, animals such as elephants, wild boars, nilgai, deer, and monkeys cause significant damage to the crop in many regions, particularly those near forests and wildlife corridors. These attacks have now been included in the fifth additional category under Localised Risks in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, ensuring comprehensive coverage for the farmers.

How Will Farmers Be Able To Claim?

Under the revised framework, state governments will first identify the wild animals causing the most crop damage in their regions and mark vulnerable districts or insurance units. Farmers will then be required to upload the geotagged photographs of the damaged crops to the crop insurance app within 72 hours of the loss.

The Agriculture Ministry further stated that the system has been designed to ensure the timely and efficient settlement of farmers’ claims.

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Which States Will Benefit The Most?

The new crop insurance provisions are expected to benefit farmers in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim, as well as Himachal Pradesh.

The move is aimed at significantly reducing economic risks and ensuring greater financial security the farmers in the case of natural and wildlife-related crop losses.

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