Relief to farmers: Crop loss due to flood is also covered under PM Crop Insurance Scheme.

Nagpur. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan made a big announcement for the farmers at the ‘AgroVision Event’ in Nagpur. He said that now under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), compensation will also be provided for crop losses caused by waterlogging, floods and wild animals. This decision is a big relief especially for those farmers whose crops have been affected due to these reasons for a long time. Chauhan said that the government is continuously working on understanding the problems of farmers and providing practical solutions for them.

New provisions in crop insurance, greater protection for farmers
Chauhan said that changing weather and climate change have increased the problems of farmers. Sometimes there is sudden rain, sometimes there is drought for months – the farmer is unable to predict. This year, heavy rains and floods in September ruined the crops of farmers in many states. At such a time, by increasing the scope of crop insurance, the government has given great protection to the farmers suffering from losses. The minister said that the farmers of Maharashtra had been demanding this for a long time, and now this provision will strengthen them financially.

Rapid changes in agriculture sector, technology becomes new power
Chauhan said in his address that India’s agriculture is now rapidly entering a new phase – big changes are taking place from mechanization to diversification, from irrigation to drone technology. He said that in 2024-25, the country has achieved a 6 percent increase in grain production as compared to the previous year, while the total production has increased by 44 percent in the last 10-11 years. He also announced the construction of ‘Orange Clone Plant Centre’ in Nagpur at a cost of Rs 70 crore, which will provide high quality plants to the farmers. Emphasis was also laid on increasing financial assistance to nurseries and new varieties developed through genome editing technology.

Government’s focus on MSP, mechanization and increasing prices
The Agriculture Minister said that doubling the income of farmers is the priority of the government, and for this, profits will have to be increased along with production. He said that the government is ready to buy the entire produce of arhar, lentil, gram and urad at MSP, so that farmers can get the right price. He also described mechanization, drip irrigation and crop processing at local level as necessary, because it reduces costs and increases the income of farmers. Praising AgroVision Expo, Chauhan said that such platforms provide new technology, training and business opportunities to farmers, which will further strengthen the future of agriculture.