NEW DELHI, April 1 -- The number of farmers opting for the Narendra Modi government's flagship farm insurance scheme has seen a jump for two years in a row, along with an improvement in other indicators, a review by the farm ministry shows, pointing to a rebound in a programme that has long been hobbled by large inefficiencies.
A review of the PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) by the farm ministry, up until the current kharif or summer-sown season 2023 (until November 2023), showed a 28.9% increase in the number of cultivators who enrolled at 79.1 million, the most in six years.
Besides, the total area insured, another key indicator, stood at 30 million hectares, representing a growth of 24%, according to official data. Premium rat...