The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has announced a major relief for farmers by strengthening the scope of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). Crop losses caused by wild animal attacks and paddy inundation will now officially be covered under the “Localised Calamity” category. These new provisions will come into effect from Kharif 2026.
The revised framework, damage caused by wild animals has been added as the fifth add-on cover. As part of this:
This decision fulfils long-standing demands raised by several states and will significantly strengthen protection against sudden, localised crop damage.
Paddy inundation was removed from the localised calamity list in 2018 due to assessment challenges and moral hazard concerns. However, its exclusion created a major protection gap for farmers in flood-prone and coastal regions.
The government has now reinstated it, allowing affected farmers to claim insurance benefits once again. This move brings particular relief to farmers in states frequently hit by floods.
Across India, farmers situated near forests, wildlife corridors and hilly terrains frequently face crop destruction from elephants, wild boars, nilgai, deer and monkeys.
Similarly, coastal and river-basin states suffer repeated paddy losses due to heavy rainfall and overflowing rivers.
To address these challenges, the Ministry had constituted an expert committee. The committee’s recommendations have now been approved by Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, paving the way for timely, technology-driven claim settlements under PMFBY.
States That Will Benefit the Most:
States with high human–wildlife conflict: Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and the Himalayan & Northeastern states — Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh.
States prone to paddy inundation:
Odisha, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand.
PMFBY Becomes More Inclusive and Farmer-Friendly: With the inclusion of wild animal attacks and paddy inundation as localised risks, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana becomes more comprehensive, responsive and farmer-centric. Experts believe these reforms will enhance the resilience of India’s crop insurance framework and provide stronger security to millions of farmers facing unpredictable climate and wildlife challenges.
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