The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has confirmed that recent heavy rains and floods have damaged paddy crops across 2,391 hectares in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda and Chitrakoot districts.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan provided the details in a written response to a Lok Sabha question raised by Krishna Devi Shivshankar Patel on Monday.
Extent of Damage
The ministry reported that Banda district faced the most significant impact, with 2,284.78 hectares of crops damaged. Chitrakoot district saw paddy crop losses across 106.32 hectares. The government clarified that it has received no information about crop losses due to drought, hailstorms, or pest attacks in these districts.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), the government has processed claims for 439,469 enrolled farmers in both districts. The ministry has disbursed Rs 19.36 crore as of October 2025, with Banda receiving Rs 16.04 crore and Chitrakoot receiving Rs 3.32 crore.
The PMFBY, launched in Kharif 2016, provides yield-based insurance coverage to farmers who have enrolled and paid their premium share. The scheme covers losses from pre-harvest to post-harvest stages due to natural calamities and adverse weather conditions.
State Responsibility for Relief
The ministry emphasized that state governments hold primary responsibility for providing relief measures during natural calamities. The Uttar Pradesh government manages these efforts through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), which has received Rs 1,836 crore for 2025-26.
The central government considers additional financial assistance through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) only in cases of severe disasters, following an assessment by an Inter-Ministerial Central Team.
When asked about additional relief packages or special assistance for affected farmers, the ministry stated that the Uttar Pradesh government has no such proposal under consideration. The minister clarified that SDRF and NDRF provide relief assistance, not compensation.
The government continues to monitor the situation through its crop insurance schemes, which aim to stabilise farmer incomes during agricultural losses caused by natural calamities.
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