English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Centre revamps Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana  to shield farmers from state defaults in crop insurance

To ensure farmers get their due crop insurance even if states default on premium payments, the Centre has amended the PMFBY with a new penalty provision and accountability framework.

Published

on

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has introduced sweeping changes to the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in a bid to protect farmers from suffering due to the negligence of state governments in paying crop insurance premiums.

Why the reform was needed

While addressing Parliament, Chouhan referred to past experiences under the former Andhra Pradesh government, which had pledged to bear the farmers’ share of crop insurance premiums. However, the government, led by then-Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, allegedly defaulted on its premium contribution for three years, resulting in thousands of farmers being denied crop insurance claims.

Chouhan stated that this “bad experience” had prompted the Centre to revisit the policy to prevent any repeat of such situations.

What has changed in PMFBY

Under the revised scheme, the Union Government will now disburse its share of the premium regardless of whether the state fulfils its contribution. More significantly, the new rules include a penalty clause aimed at enforcing state accountability.

“If a state fails to pay its share, it will be liable to pay 12% interest, and this penal amount will be directly transferred to the affected farmers’ accounts,” Chouhan said during his reply to a question posed by Rajasthan MP Hanuman Beniwal.

Focus on farmer welfare and timely claim settlements

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was originally launched as an improved version of the earlier National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS), with a target to settle farmer claims within 21 days. However, state-level lapses had emerged as a critical bottleneck, causing undue suffering for farmers.

The new amendment now aims to eliminate delays and uncertainty by holding state governments financially accountable without letting farmers bear the consequences.

With this step, the government hopes to fortify the crop insurance framework, ensuring that natural calamities and policy failures at the state level do not deprive farmers of their due protections.

India News

PM Modi marks Operation Sindoor anniversary, calls it India’s firm stand against terrorism

PM Modi said Operation Sindoor showcased India’s firm response against terrorism while paying tribute to the armed forces on the operation’s first anniversary.

Published

on

PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s firm response against terrorism and highlighted the country’s commitment to national security.

Marking one year of the operation, the Prime Minister praised the courage, precision and professionalism of the Indian armed forces. He said the military action was carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that had claimed the lives of 26 civilians in 2025.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, as a calibrated tri-services operation targeting terror infrastructure linked to cross-border terrorism. Reports said the operation showcased coordinated action by the armed forces and was seen as a major counter-terror response by India.

On the anniversary of the operation, PM Modi also changed the display pictures across his social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The image carried the text “Operation Sindoor” along with the Indian tricolour design.

The Indian Air Force also shared visuals and messages recalling the operation and highlighting India’s military response. A video released by the force described the operation as a strong message against terrorism and referred to the precision strikes carried out during the mission.

Operation Sindoor was launched following the Pahalgam terror attack, after which India carried out strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to official statements and reports published at the time.

Continue Reading

India News

Vijay meets Tamil Nadu Governor again as TVK pushes to prove majority

TVK chief Vijay held another meeting with Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as the party intensified efforts to secure majority support after emerging as the single-largest party in the Assembly elections.

Published

on

Actor vijay

Actor-turned-politician Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar again on Thursday as his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), continued efforts to prove it has enough support to form the next government in the state.

TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly after winning 108 seats, but it remains short of the majority mark of 118.

The Congress has extended support to TVK, adding five MLAs to Vijay’s side. However, the alliance still needs additional backing from other parties or independents to comfortably cross the halfway mark.

According to reports, the Governor has not yet been fully convinced that TVK currently has the required numbers to form a stable government. This has delayed clarity over the swearing-in ceremony and the formal invitation to form the government.

Political activity intensified after reports emerged that some AIADMK legislators were moved to a resort in Puducherry amid speculation over possible support to TVK. AIADMK leaders, however, publicly denied any internal crisis.

TVK sources have expressed confidence that the party will be able to demonstrate majority support during discussions with the Governor.

The Tamil Nadu election results marked a major political shift in the state, with TVK breaking the long-standing dominance of the DMK and AIADMK in its first Assembly election contest.

Continue Reading

India News

PM Modi changes social media profile pictures to mark Operation Sindoor anniversary

PM Modi changed his social media profile pictures to commemorate one year of Operation Sindoor, with several NDA leaders following the move.

Published

on

PM Modi speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday updated the display pictures of his social media accounts to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. The new image was seen across his profiles on X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp channels.

The updated profile picture carries the text “Operation Sindoor” on a black background along with elements of the Indian tricolour. One of the letters in the word “Sindoor” has been stylised using vermilion, commonly associated with married Hindu women.

Operation Sindoor was launched a year ago by Indian defence forces and the Border Security Force along the western border. The anniversary was also marked by several Union ministers and NDA leaders, who changed their social media profile pictures in a similar manner.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other senior leaders were among those who adopted the commemorative display image on social media platforms, according to reports.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com