Unseasonal rains damage over 1,200 ha of crops in J&K: GoI informs Parl

Srinagar, July 22: Jammu and Kashmir lost over 1,239 hectares of crops due to unseasonal rains, hailstorms, and extreme weather between April and mid-July 2025, the Union Government informed Parliament on Tuesday.The figures were shared by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in a written reply to Lok Sabha. The data reveals that J&K is among several states hit by erratic rainfall during this year’s monsoon season.The affected crops in J&K include paddy, maize, wheat, barley, mustard, onion, and horticulture crops, according to the statement laid in the House. Damage assessment was carried out by the J&K Government as per the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms.While the Centre said that relief distribution is primarily the responsibility of State Governments, it noted that assistance can be sought from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) in case of “severe” calamities, following a central team assessment.Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), 2.7 crore rupees were paid to farmers in J&K during the current financial year (as of June 30, 2025) which covers 9.5 lakh farmer applications and 5.5 lakh hectares of insured crop area in the Union Territory, as per annexed data shared with Parliament.By comparison, states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan received significantly higher payouts ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 600 crore.The Ministry said that funds disbursed under SDRF or NDRF are meant for relief, not compensation, and that insurance schemes like PMFBY are key to helping farmers recover from natural calamities.