West Bengal reports 494 hectares of crop loss from floods, no central data maintained

The question asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to state the estimated crop loss in West Bengal due to floods, the compensation provided under PMFBY and NDRF, and the steps taken for paddy procurement and interest-free loans.

Asked and answered by: Asked by MP Md. Abu Taher Khan; Answered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan).

What the government said

• 494 hectares of crop area in West Bengal affected by hydro-meteorological disasters as on 02.08.2026.
• West Bengal allocated Rs.1326.00 crore under SDRF for 2026-27 (Rs.994.50 crore Central share + Rs.331.50 crore State share).
• Opening balance of Rs.5321.93 crore available in West Bengal's SDRF account as on 1st April 2026.
• West Bengal opted out of PMFBY/RWBCIS from Kharif 2019 onwards but decided to implement PMFBY from Kharif 2026.
• No data available for current season PMFBY claims due to the State's recent decision to re-implement the scheme.
• Financial assistance under SDRF and NDRF is provided as relief, not compensation for losses.
• Crop loss data is not maintained centrally; figures are based on State Government reports.
• West Bengal has 26,65,570 operative Kisan Credit Card (KCC) accounts with an outstanding amount of Rs.13,758 crores as on March 31, 2026.
• 15,241 fresh KCC applications received in West Bengal since June 2026, with 14,484 sanctioned as on 7th August 2026.
• Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) provides credit up to Rs. 3.00 lakh at an effective interest rate of 4%.

Also in the document

• The government stated that crop loss data is not maintained centrally.
• The government clarified that financial assistance under SDRF and NDRF is relief, not compensation for losses.
• The answer notes that West Bengal had opted out of the PMFBY scheme from Kharif 2019 onwards, which explains the lack of current season data.