Crop insurance to cover losses due to wild animals and paddy inundation, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare announced the inclusion of crop loss due to wild animal attacks and paddy inundation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) from Kharif season 2026.
• Crop loss from wild animal attacks will be recognized as the fifth add-on cover under the localized risk category.
• Farmers must report losses within 72 hours using the crop insurance app, including geotagged photographs.
• Paddy inundation, reintroduced as a localized calamity, will benefit farmers in flood-prone states.

Detailed Insights:

• This decision addresses longstanding requests from states to protect farmers against localized crop damage from wild animals like elephants, wild boars, and monkeys.
• States will identify vulnerable districts based on historical data of wild animal attacks, ensuring targeted insurance coverage.
• The reintroduction of paddy inundation coverage aims to protect farmers in coastal and flood-prone regions who face recurring crop submergence.
• An expert committee was formed by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare to address emerging risks and challenges related to crop losses.
• The revised framework aligns with PMFBY operational guidelines, ensuring a scientific, transparent, and operationally feasible implementation nationwide.
• States with high human-wildlife conflict, including Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and North-Eastern states, are expected to benefit significantly from this coverage.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): A government-sponsored crop insurance scheme providing financial support to farmers suffering crop losses.
• Localized Risk: Specific, isolated events like hailstorms, landslides, or wild animal attacks that cause crop damage in a defined area.
• Kharif Season: The crop-growing season during the monsoon months, typically from June to November, depending on the region.