Shivraj Singh Chouhan: PMFBY Now Coming to Bihar
Synopsis
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on 20 August 2026 that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will now be implemented in Bihar, ensuring compensation for farmers' crop losses under the central government's flagship insurance scheme.
Key Takeaways
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on 20 August 2026 that PMFBY will be implemented in Bihar .
The scheme will compensate Bihar farmers for losses caused by natural calamities, pests, or diseases.
PMFBY was launched in 2016 as a replacement for the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme.
Several states have at times opted out or modified participation in PMFBY due to premium-sharing and implementation disputes.
Enrollment timelines, crop coverage, and premium subsidy arrangements for the Bihar rollout are yet to be detailed.
Bihar's farmers are getting a safety net they have long been without. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Thursday, 20 August 2026 that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) — India's flagship crop insurance scheme — will now be implemented in Bihar, with losses suffered by farmers to be compensated under the programme.
What PMFBY means for Bihar's farmers
Posting in Hindi, Chouhan stated: 'Bihar mein ab Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana laagu hogi. Kisan ke nuksan ki bharpai ki jaayegi.' — 'The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will now be implemented in Bihar. Farmers' losses will be compensated.' The message is short, but the stakes are not.
Bihar is home to millions of smallholder farmers who face recurring crop damage from floods, drought, and pest attacks. Without an insurance cover, a single bad season can wipe out a household's income for the year. PMFBY's arrival in the state closes a significant gap in that protection.
PMFBY's decade-long journey and Bihar's place in it
Launched in 2016, PMFBY replaced earlier schemes such as the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme and was designed to offer comprehensive, low-premium crop insurance backed by central and state government subsidies. Over the years, several states have modified or stepped back from full participation, citing premium-sharing disputes and implementation challenges — a pattern that has left coverage uneven across India's farming belt.
The central government has consistently pushed to widen PMFBY's footprint, and Chouhan's announcement signals that Bihar is now being brought firmly into that fold. Enrollment timelines, the range of crops covered, and the precise premium-subsidy arrangement between the Centre and the state government are details that will define how quickly and how broadly farmers can actually benefit.
For Chouhan — a minister whose political identity is built on farmer outreach, forged across four terms as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh — the Bihar rollout is both a policy milestone and a signal of the Centre's intent to standardise farmer welfare protections nationwide. One scheme, one promise, every state. Bihar is next.
Point of View
Arriving at a time when the ruling coalition's performance in agrarian states faces scrutiny. For Chouhan, extending a scheme he has championed to a politically significant state like Bihar reinforces his portfolio's activist posture. The broader pattern — of the Centre steadily pulling reluctant or disengaged states back into PMFBY's fold — suggests a deliberate strategy of uniform coverage as an electoral and governance signal ahead of future state cycles. Whether implementation follows at the pace the announcement implies will be the real test.
NationPress
21 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)?
PMFBY is India's central crop insurance scheme, launched in 2016, that provides financial compensation to farmers for crop losses caused by natural calamities, pests, or diseases, with premiums subsidised by the central and state governments.
Is PMFBY now available in Bihar?
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on 20 August 2026 that PMFBY will now be implemented in Bihar, though specific enrollment timelines and crop coverage details are yet to be announced.
Who announced PMFBY for Bihar?
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan made the announcement via a post on X on 20 August 2026.
Why was PMFBY not available in Bihar earlier?
The exact reasons for Bihar's prior non-participation or limited participation in PMFBY have not been officially confirmed, but several states have historically modified or stepped back from the scheme due to premium-sharing disputes and implementation challenges.
What losses will Bihar farmers be compensated for under PMFBY?
Under PMFBY, farmers can receive compensation for crop losses resulting from natural calamities such as floods and drought, as well as pest attacks and diseases, subject to enrollment and scheme terms.
