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Informist, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025

 

By Pallavi Singhal

 

NEW DELHI – The Centre has initiated a survey to assess the damage to agricultural lands in Punjab due to the recent floods, but the state opting out of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has made the government currently unsure of the quantum of aid it can provide, a top government official told Informist. 

 

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, introduced by the Centre in 2016, provides comprehensive insurance against natural calamities, pests, and diseases. Farmers pay a nominal premium — 2% for kharif crops, 1.5% for rabi crops, and 5% for horticultural and commercial crops — while the Centre and the state share the remaining cost. However, Punjab never implemented this scheme, citing financial burden on the state exchequer.

 

"The assessment is currently underway. But since the state did not take the Centre's insurance scheme, we are not sure how much help we will be able to provide. We will see what can be done for the kharif season and provide guidance for which crops can be sown in the rabi season," the official said. 

 

Punjab, often referred to as the "food basket" of India, is a major source for agricultural production, particularly of staples like wheat and rice. The state has recently been hit by heavy rains and floods which, as per the government, have led to extensive crop damage on around 148,000 hectares of agricultural land, which got submerged. Authorities have declared all the state's 23 districts as flood-hit. 

 

According to the India Meteorological Department, the state in the ongoing monsoon season so far, has seen 53% above normal rains. Crucial agricultural districts, including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, and Tarn Taran have received almost 100?ove normal rains. While experts point out that the exact losses are difficult to measure at this point, it is certain that the Basmati growing belt has been severely hit. 

"Districts along the Gurdaspur belt, which are mainly Basmati growing belts, have lost approximately 80-90% crops. Significant damage has also been reported in stored grains. Almost 35-40% of total cultivation area of Punjab is in severe loss," Tareek Bhardwaj, a trader from Ludhiana, said. Punjab accounted for around 40% of India's rice exports of 6.07 million tonnes in 2024-25 (Apr-Mar). The state produced 384,000 tonnes of basmati rice on 812,000 hectares during the kharif season in 2024-25 (Jul-Jun). In the ongoing kharif season, Punjab's total crop area was 3.552 million hectares as of Aug. 29, including 3.249 million hectares under both basmati and non-basmati rice.

 

The floods may affect the next crop too, with farmers reporting silt accumulation over soil, which may be a cause for worry for rabi sowing. "The silt accumulation may go both ways -- it may help, or it may harm the next crop depending on the composition of silt," G. Chandrashekhar, an agriculture expert, said. The silt may be full of micronutrients needed in soil, or may carry heavy metals composition which will harm the crop, he added. "An analysis is the only way to know if it will be harmful or beneficial," Chandrashekhar said. 

 

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday visited Amritsar and Gurdaspur in flood-hit Punjab, and called the current situation serious. "The situation is serious. Due to floods, the crops are destroyed. 1,400 villages are badly affected. The Centre has sent two teams to assess the damage. The state government will also conduct an assessment. In this difficult time, we stand firmly with the farmers and the public of Punjab," Chouhan said in a statement issued by the agriculture ministry.   End

 

 

Edited by Tanima Banerjee

 

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