Centre Introduces New Crop Loss Coverage Norms under PMFBY

Source: BL

Context:

• The Union Agriculture Ministry has formalised new modalities for compensating crop loss due to:
  1. Wild animal attacks
  2. Paddy inundation
• These measures respond to farmers’ long-standing demand for broader coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

Wild Animal Attacks – Add-on Cover:

• Crop damage from wild animals is now the fifth “Add-on Cover” under the Localised Risk category.
• Implementation:
  • States will notify:
    • The list of wild animals responsible for crop damage
    • Vulnerable districts or insurance units based on historical data
  • Farmers must report losses within 72 hours via the Crop Insurance app, uploading geotagged photographs
• Effective from: 2026 kharif season

Expected Impact:

• Particularly beneficial for states with high human–wildlife conflict, including:
  • Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and the north-eastern states