Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS) Implementation
The Government of India has launched the Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS) initiative to develop a national network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and Automatic Rain Gauges (ARGs) for generating long-term hyperlocal weather data. This data serves crop insurance, agricultural advisories, and disaster risk resilience needs across sectors. As of the latest update, WINDS has been adopted by 7 States/UTs: Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The program has approved 16,843 sites for installation, completed civil work at 1,188 sites, and installed 892 AWS/ARGs.
YES-TECH Yield Estimation System Deployment
Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), the Yield Estimation System based on Technology (YES-TECH) is being implemented for objective crop damage and loss assessment. The system began with paddy and wheat crops from Kharif 2023 and expanded to soybean from Kharif 2024, with mandatory 30% weightage assigned to YES-TECH derived yield estimation. In 2025-26, YES-TECH was implemented in 12 states across 344 districts. State governments have adopted varying weightages: Madhya Pradesh assigned 100% weightage to technology-based yield, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh assigned 50%, while Odisha and Karnataka assigned 40% weightage to YES-TECH derived yield.
PMFBY Claim Settlement Reforms
The government has implemented multiple measures for timely settlement of claims under PMFBY. The National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) serves as a single source for subsidy payments, information dissemination, and online farmer enrollment with electronic claim transfers to bank accounts. A dedicated 'Digiclaim Module' has been operational since Kharif 2022, integrating NCIP with Public Finance Management System (PFMS) and insurance company accounting systems for transparent claim processing. From Kharif 2024, a 12% penalty is auto-calculated and levied through NCIP for delayed insurance company payments. Central Government share of premium subsidy has been delinked from State Governments to ensure farmers receive proportionate claims. From Kharif 2025, State Governments face a 12% penalty for delayed release of their subsidy share and must open ESCROW accounts in advance for premium deposits. Additional technological measures include capturing yield data through CCE-Agri App, allowing insurance companies to witness Crop Cutting Experiments, integrating state land records with NCIP, and mandatory use of the Crop Loss Assessment App (CLAP) for localized calamities and post-harvest losses across all states/UTs.