Insurance claims of 1.64 lakh crore have been paid to farmers against Rs 32,440 crore premium paid under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday in the Lok Sabha. Replying to a question on the scheme during the Question Hour, he said the Modi government has made it farmer-friendly by removing inconsistencies in the previous scheme. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was introduced in the country in the Kharif 2016 season and is voluntary for the states, he added. Under the scheme, comprehensive risk coverage for crops against all non-preventable natural risks -- from pre-sowing to post-harvest stages of crops -- at a very reasonable premium for the farmers is being provided. "As against the premium of Rs 32,440 crore paid by farmers till date, claims of Rs 1.64 lakh crore have been paid out," the minister said. Therefore, 5 times more claims have been paid out when compared to the premium paid by the farmers, Chouh