“Uttar Pradesh has rolled out enhanced benefits under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana, offering farmers improved coverage for crop losses due to natural calamities. With a simplified claim process, increased subsidies, and expanded crop inclusion, the scheme aims to secure farmers’ livelihoods. The deadline for Kharif 2025 enrollment is July 31, ensuring timely financial support for affected farmers.”
Uttar Pradesh Boosts Farmer Security with Upgraded PM Fasal Bima Yojana
The Uttar Pradesh government has introduced significant enhancements to the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), aiming to provide robust financial protection to farmers against crop losses caused by natural calamities, pests, and diseases. Launched in 2016 by the Government of India, the PMFBY has been a cornerstone of agricultural risk management, and UP’s latest updates make it even more farmer-friendly.
As of August 2025, the state has expanded the scheme’s coverage to include additional crops, such as millets and select horticultural crops, which are vital to UP’s agrarian economy. This move addresses the diverse cropping patterns across the state, where farmers cultivate cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and commercial crops like sugarcane. The inclusion of these crops ensures that more farmers can benefit from insurance coverage tailored to their needs.
The premium structure remains highly subsidized, with farmers paying only 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for annual commercial and horticultural crops. The state and central governments bear the remaining cost, making the scheme affordable. In UP, the government has further sweetened the deal by offering a full subsidy on premiums for farmers with up to one hectare of insured land, effectively reducing their contribution to a nominal ₹1 for notified crops like paddy, jute, and mustard.
A key highlight of the revamped scheme is the streamlined claim process. Farmers must report crop damage within 72 hours of an incident, such as floods, droughts, or pest infestations, through the PMFBY portal, mobile apps like Crop Insurance, or toll-free numbers (e.g., 1800-103-5490). The use of technology, including drones, remote sensing, and smartphones for crop-cutting experiments, has reduced claim settlement times significantly. In 2024, UP processed over 80% of claims within two months of harvest, a marked improvement from earlier years when delays were a major concern.
The state has also introduced localized risk coverage for events like hailstorms and landslides, with assessments now conducted at the individual farm level rather than the broader village or panchayat level. This ensures fairer compensation for isolated losses. Additionally, post-harvest loss coverage has been extended to 14 days for crops left to dry in the field, protecting farmers from unseasonal rains and cyclonic events.
Data from the Ministry of Agriculture shows that since 2016, PMFBY has insured over 29.19 crore farmer applications nationwide, with claims worth ₹1.75 lakh crore disbursed by August 2025. In UP alone, over 2 crore farmers have enrolled, with ₹15,000 crore in claims settled, stabilizing incomes and encouraging modern farming practices. However, challenges persist, with some farmers citing delays in claim approvals due to bureaucratic hurdles or discrepancies in yield data.
To boost enrollment, UP has set a deadline of July 31, 2025, for Kharif crop registration, urging farmers to apply via banks, Common Service Centres (CSCs), or the PMFBY website. Non-loanee farmers must submit land records or tenancy agreements to qualify. The state is also leveraging awareness campaigns through Panchayati Raj Institutions to ensure maximum coverage, especially for SC/ST and women farmers.
The scheme excludes losses from preventable causes like animal grazing or malicious damage, and claims for war or nuclear risks are not covered. Despite these limitations, the enhanced PMFBY in UP is a vital safety net, particularly amid growing climate uncertainties and protests against land pooling policies, which have heightened farmers’ financial concerns.
Disclaimer: This article is based on information from government sources, including pmfby.gov.in, news reports from The Daily Jagran, and posts on X as of August 5, 2025. Data and policies may evolve, and readers are advised to verify details through official channels like the PMFBY portal or local agriculture departments.