Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan digitally transferred crop insurance payments amounting to ₹3,900 crore into the bank accounts of approximately 35 lakh farmers across India today. The payments, disbursed from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, represent the first installment of compensation for crop losses incurred during the Rabi season of 2024-25 under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
Addressing the gathering, Chouhan assured farmers who have yet to receive the payments that an additional ₹8,000 crore will be released in the coming days to cover remaining claims. The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Chaudhary, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena, along with numerous farmers and beneficiaries participating virtually from various states.
The Agriculture Minister highlighted that earlier crop insurance payouts were made only if entire blocks or tehsils suffered crop failure. However, under the revamped PMFBY initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, compensation is now guaranteed even if a single farmer’s crop is damaged, ensuring more targeted and timely relief.
Since its launch in 2016, the PMFBY has disbursed over ₹2.12 lakh crore to farmers nationwide. Alongside insurance support, the government has distributed ₹4.75 lakh crore through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, reinforcing its commitment to improving farmers’ livelihoods.
Chouhan also emphasized government efforts to subsidize fertilizers significantly. Currently, farmers pay just ₹266 for a 45 kg bag of urea, while the market price exceeds ₹1,633. Similarly, a 50 kg bag of DAP costs farmers ₹1,350 against an actual price of ₹3,100. To date, the government has provided ₹14.06 lakh crore in fertilizer subsidies.
On tackling counterfeit fertilizers and manure, the Minister announced that a stringent law is in the pipeline to penalize offenders and protect farmers. Additionally, he assured farmers of rapid scientific assistance in cases of crop virus attacks, encouraging them to report such incidents promptly, even through photos, to enable swift intervention.
