J&K farmers receive Rs 119.67 Cr under crop insurance scheme; Rs 10.15 Cr claims still pending
Srinagar, Aug 8:Farmers in Jammu and Kashmir have received Rs 119.67 crore in crop insurance claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) between 2022-23 and 2025-26, while claims worth Rs 10.15 crore remained pending as of July 24, 2026, according to data furnished by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in the Rajya Sabha. The figures were provided by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ramnath Thakur in response to Unstarred Question No 1452, asked by Rajya Sabha member Ranjeet Ranjan. The question sought State and UT-wise details of premiums collected, claims reported, claims paid and pending claims under PMFBY since 2022. According to Annexure-I of the government reply, J&K farmers contributed Rs 53.97 crore as their share of premium during 2022-23 to 2025-26. Against this, claims amounting to Rs 129.82 crore were reported, of which Rs 119.67 crore had been paid and Rs 10.15 crore remained pending as on July 24, 2026. The data indicates that around 92.2 percent of the reported claim value had been paid, leaving approximately 7.8 percent pending. At the national level, the government reported farmer premium contributions of Rs14,623.05 crore against reported claims of Rs 70,686.44 crore under PMFBY during the same period. Of the reported claims, Rs 66,159.24 crore had been paid, while Rs 4527.20 crore remained pending. This means J&K accounted for about 0.18 percent of the total farmer premium contribution and around 0.18 percent of reported claims under the states and UTs. The government data also provides details of private-sector general insurance companies selected by State Governments through the tendering process for implementation of PMFBY. In Jammu and Kashmir, IFFCO Tokio and IndusInd General were selected for the scheme in each of the years 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. For 2025, the list expanded to three insurers Bajaj General, IndusInd General, and Kshema General. The data thus shows a change in the insurer mix in J&K from two participating private insurers during 2021-24 to three in 2025. The ministry has clarified that the state-wise insurer details relate to private-sector general insurance companies selected by the respective state governments for implementation of PMFBY through the tendering process. The J&K figure of Rs 10.15 crore in pending claims is considerably lower in absolute terms than the pending claim liabilities reported in several larger agricultural states. Rajasthan had the highest pending claim value in the state-wise table at Rs 890.45 crore, followed by Andhra Pradesh at Rs 2,817.86 crore, Maharashtra at Rs 222.96 crore, Madhya Pradesh at Rs 118.36 crore, and Karnataka at Rs 113.62 crore. Haryana had Rs 103.11 crore pending, while Uttar Pradesh had Rs 81.06 crore. However, the absolute value of pending claims needs to be read alongside the scale of agricultural coverage and claims reported in each State. In J&K, Rs 129.82 crore worth of claims were reported over the four years, with Rs 119.67 crore already paid.
J&K highways battered by landslides, cloudbursts in 2025-26: Centre
Srinagar, Aug 8:Jammu and Kashmirs National Highway corridors faced repeated landslides, cloudbursts, and heavy rainfall-related disruptions in 2025 and 2026, blocking carriageways and damaging infrastructure, the Centre told Parliament. In a reply to a starred question in the Lok Sabha, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) detailed multiple incidents on NH-44 and NH-244, particularly on the Udhampur-Ramban and Ramban-Banihal stretches of NH-44. On the Udhampur-Ramban stretch, cloudbursts and heavy rain triggered landslides at Bali Nallah and Tharad in 2025, while muck and slush accumulated at Karol and Kowbagh, it said. In 2026, a massive landslide near Dewal, Samroli (Km 79) blocked both carriageways and damaged a retaining wall. The ministry said restoration and clearance works were subsequently completed, the ministry said. It said that on the Ramban-Banihal stretch, a cloudburst in 2025 triggered flash-floods, and caused heavy slush and debris at Seri, muck accumulation inside Tunnel T-2 and a landslide at Kela Mor. Another landslide blocked both carriageways in 2026, following which traffic was restored after clearance operations, the ministry said. It also reported a landslide at Marog on the Ramban-Banihal section of NH-44 during 2025, while multiple landslides were recorded on the Chenani-Sudhmahadev Road (NH-244) during the same year. The repeated disruptions have affected the movement of people and goods along NH-44, the main surface link between Kashmir and the rest of the country. In April last year, the highway remained closed for more than three weeks after incessant rain triggered shooting stones and rockfalls and washed away portions of the road along the Banihal-Ramban stretch. It was again shut for much of August and September as monsoon rains triggered fresh landslides, mudslides, shooting stones, rock-falls and flash floods. The closures stranded fruit-laden trucks carrying apples to markets outside J&K. Growers said large quantities of produce rotted in transit, causing losses running into millions of rupees for the regions horticulture industry. Separately, the Centre said J&K recorded one case of major structural failure on a National Highway project since 2014. The failure occurred in 2022, resulting in a penalty of 1% of the project cost and blacklisting of the Engineer Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor under the contract provisions, it said. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said action was taken against contractors where deficiencies were established. Across the country, executing agencies have imposed financial penalties, terminated contracts, suspended personnel, debarred contractors and blacklisted firms, the ministry said. The government said highway projects incorporate drainage systems and hill-protection measures, but extreme weather remains a major challenge in mountainous terrain. Extreme weather events such as cloudbursts, unprecedented rainfall and landslides can damage highway infrastructure, particularly in the Himalayan region, it said. The Centre said no flooding of low-lying areas or agricultural fields due to faulty National Highway construction was reported from J&K in the data placed before Parliament. Three such incidents were reported nationwide, involving stretches in Telangana and Maharashtra. To strengthen resilience, the government said it has introduced measures including improved slope stabilisation, mandatory quality assurance for rockfall mitigation, real-time landslide monitoring, and improved preparation of detailed project reports. It also cited collaboration with the Geological Survey of India (GSI), Defence Geo-informatics Research Establishment, National Institute of Rock Mechanics, and IIT Roorkee to improve highway safety and resilience.
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Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis Accelerates Development Plans for Nashik Kumbh Mela 2027
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Leaders Must Discuss Redistricting Beyond Rahul Gandhi: Bhai Jagatap
Mumbai, August 8: Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Bhai Jagatap has responded to recent statements regarding redistricting, student movements, and comments made by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat about Gen Z. He emphasized that discussions on redistricting should not be limited to Rahul Gandhi but should also involve leaders from various states across the country. While addressing ... Read more Leaders Must Discuss Redistricting Beyond Rahul Gandhi: Bhai Jagatap
