A Nation that Dwells Alone: Story of Israel

Prof. Prashant Sharma

Risk and uncertainty are omnipresent in agriculture as an economic activity due to climatic conditions, and farmers run the entire gamut of risks from sowing the crops right up to marketing the produce. Over the last decade, India has suffered crop losses almost every year, either due to floods, droughts, or extreme temperatures. The increasing incidence of farmers' suicides due to successive crop failures because of weather fluctuations has alerted policymakers to take crop insurance seriously in India. Therefore, on February 18, 2016, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

PMFBY, a flagship agricultural insurance scheme, aims to protect farmers from the adverse impact of natural calamities and ensure their financial stability. Under this scheme, farmers can avail themselves of insurance coverage for their crops at affordable premium rates, providing them with a safety net against risks such as droughts, floods, and other unforeseen events. Uttar Pradesh, one of India's largest agricultural states, has a significant number of farmers who heavily rely on agricultural activities for their livelihood. The implementation of the PMFBY in Uttar Pradesh is significant because it aims to address farmers' vulnerabilities and enhance their resilience against agricultural risks. The objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive performance evaluation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in the state of Uttar Pradesh. By examining various aspects of the scheme, including governance, socio-economic impact, insurance behaviour, effectiveness in risk mitigation, strengths, weaknesses, and challenges, this study aims to provide insights into the scheme's performance and its impact on the agricultural sector in Uttar Pradesh.

The proposed study uses a cross-sectional study design with a mixed-methods approach. This approach combines qualitative and quantitative data to provide a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of the PMFBY scheme. We divide Western Uttar Pradesh into six divisions: Meerut, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Bareilly, Agra, and Aligarh. As per the 2022 data, we will select one district from each of the six divisions with the highest number of PMFBY beneficiaries. The final sample of the study will include Bulandshahr, Saharanpur, Rampur, Badaun, Mathura, and Aligarh. We will conduct a structured questionnaire survey among beneficiaries in each selected district to assess the effectiveness, issues, and challenges faced by the PMFBY scheme beneficiaries.