Gangtok, Aug 6 (PTI) The lone Sikkim Lok Sabha member Dr Indra Hang Subba has urged Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Ram Nath Thakur, to include crop damages caused by wild animals under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
Subba met Thakur in his office in New Delhi and submitted a representation, according to a statement from the MP’s office here.
In the representation, Subba highlighted the persistent issue of crop losses faced by farmers in hilly and forest-adjacent regions due to frequent raids by wild animals like wild boars, monkeys and deer.
He noted that while PMFBY provides coverage for various natural calamities and non-preventable risks, damages caused by wild animals remain unaddressed, leaving affected farmers without any financial protection.
“This recurring threat has not only caused significant crop losses but has also demoralised farmers, leading to reduced cultivation and underutilisation of arable land in some regions,” Subba said in his submission.
He urged the ministry to consider wild animal intrusion as a valid risk under PMFBY, pointing out that such an inclusion would directly benefit farmers while also advancing the Prime Minister’s vision of doubling farmers’ income and ensuring sustainable agriculture in vulnerable areas, it said. PTI COR NN
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