Measures to reduce loss to crops

New Delhi, Feb 13, 2021: Government has assessed the damage caused to crops in the wake of natural calamities, pest attack, cold wave/frost, diseases etc., in widespread manner in specific states/locations, as and when required.

Government has constituted Inter-Ministerial Central Teams during the year 2020-21 to assess crop damage in Madhya Pradesh due to pest/insect attack and Rajasthan in wake of drought (Kharif).

It has also reviewed and updated the Crisis Management Plan, during 2020, involving various agencies to deal with crisis and media management during drought.

The details of damage caused  during the last three years are:

• During 2020-21, due to locust attack, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have reported crop damage in 6520 hectares (ha.), 4400 ha., 806 ha., 488 ha., and 267 ha., respectively.

• During 2019-20, Locusts caused damage to 1,79,584 ha. in eight districts of Rajasthan and 19,313 ha. in two districts of Gujarat. Rajasthan had locust attack in 2235, 140 and 1027 ha. area in Bikaner, Hanumangarh and Sri Ganganagar, respectively.

• Fall armyworm had infested 5.00 and 7.00 lakh ha. in 2018-19 and 2019-20, respectively. An area of 263,000 ha. in Karnataka and 8.60 lakh ha. in Maharashtra in 2019-20 was infested by the pest.

(c):       Some of the major schemes implemented by Government to deal with the damage caused to crops and to reduce its extent are the following:

(i) Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana for insurance coverage to farmers against crop losses on account of natural calamities.

(ii) Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme to provide insurance protection against adverse weather incidences and has the advantage to settle claims within the shortest possible time.

 (iii) Interest Subvention Scheme to farmers for availing short term crop loans upto Rs.3.00 lakh up to one year.

(iv) Other important schemes inter-alia includes, Strengthening and Modernization of Plant Quarantine Facilities, District Drought Proofing Plan, Central level monitoring meeting on weekly basis and issuance of Crop Weather Watch Group Report to States/UTs, and Monitoring & Pest Management by Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Funds released under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana & Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme:

* as on 31.12.2020.

This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in Rajya Sabha.