India is an agricultural country, where the economy and livelihood of millions of people depend on farming. But farming is not easy. Sometimes drought, sometimes flood, sometimes hailstorm, sometimes pest attack—farmers have to face uncertainties in every season. To deal with these risks and provide financial security to the farmers, the Government of India has launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). This scheme is a kind of safety shield for farmers, which helps in protecting their hard work from the loss of natural disasters. Let us know about this scheme in detail, what it is, how it works, and what benefits farmers get from it.

What is the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme?

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was launched in 2016. Its purpose is to provide financial assistance to farmers in case of damage to their crops. If the crop is damaged due to natural disasters, such as drought, flood, hailstorm, storm, or pests and diseases, then the farmers are given insurance money under this scheme. This scheme has been created by improving the old crop insurance schemes, so that farmers can get more coverage at a lower premium.

The biggest advantage of this scheme is that it has been specially designed for small and marginal farmers, who often suffer the most from natural disasters. The government’s goal is to help farmers recover from losses through this scheme and enable them to do farming without fear.

Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY): A step towards life security

Key features of the scheme

There are many special features of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, which make it useful for farmers. Let us understand these in simple language:

• Low premium, high coverageIn this scheme, farmers have to pay very low premium. The premium for Kharif crops is 2% of the sum insured, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for horticultural/commercial crops. The rest of the premium amount is borne by the central and state governments together. This reduces the financial burden on farmers
• Covers all natural risksThis plan covers losses caused by drought, flood, hailstorm, storm, landslides, and pests or diseases. If the crop is damaged at any time from sowing to harvesting, the farmer can claim the insurance.
• Covers all natural risksThis plan covers losses caused by drought, flood, hailstorm, storm, landslides, and pests or diseases. If the crop is damaged at any time from sowing to harvesting, the farmer can claim the insurance.
• Coverage of local risksSometimes there is local damage in some areas, such as floods or hailstorms in a small area. Such local disasters have also been covered in this scheme, so that maximum number of farmers can get benefits.
• Post-harvest losses are also coveredIf the crop is damaged due to natural causes (such as rain or storm) within 14 days after harvesting, then it also comes under the purview of this scheme. This is especially beneficial for those farmers who are not able to sell the crop immediately after harvesting.
• Post-harvest losses are also coveredIf the crop is damaged due to natural causes (such as rain or storm) within 14 days after harvesting, then it also comes under the purview of this scheme. This is especially beneficial for those farmers who are not able to sell the crop immediately after harv

How to avail the benefits of the scheme?

Now the question is what will the farmer have to do to take advantage of this scheme? The process has been kept very simple, so that even the smallest farmer can understand it easily and take advantage of it.

• Registration: First of all, the farmer has to register for the scheme by visiting his nearest bank, Common Service Center (CSC), or insurance company office. Now registration can also be done through the online portal (www.pmfby.gov.in).
• Required Documents: Some basic documents are required for registration, such as Aadhaar card, bank account details, Khasra number of the farm, and proof of sowing of crops. If the farmer is a tenant, he has to provide a copy of the agreement with the land owner.
• Payment of Premium : After registration, the farmer has to deposit the premium amount according to his crop. As mentioned earlier, this amount is very less, and the rest is paid by the governments

What is the benefit to farmers?

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has helped millions of farmers recover from losses. Some of its major benefits are as follows:

• Financial security: Farmers get insurance money in case of crop failure, which helps them avoid the burden of debt and raise money for farming in the next season.
• Confidence in farming: When farmers know they will have support in case of losses, they do not hesitate to try new techniques and crops.
• Transparency: The use of technology has made the claims process faster and fairer. Earlier it used to take months, now the amount is received within a few weeks.
• Help for small farmers: This scheme is specially designed for small and marginal farmers, who are often affected by natural disasters.

Some challenges and solutions

No scheme is completely perfect, and PMFBY also has some challenges. Many times farmers complain that the loss assessment is not correct or there is a delay in getting the claim amount. Some farmers also do not have complete information about the scheme, due to which they are not able to take advantage of it.

The government is constantly working to overcome these problems. For example, now drone and satellite technology is being used more, so that the assessment of damage is accurate. Also, farmers are being informed about the scheme by running awareness campaigns. If farmers have any complaint, they can express their views through toll-free number or online portal.

How to apply and stay informed?

If you are a farmer and want to take advantage of this scheme, first contact your nearest bank or common service center. You can also get complete information about the scheme by visiting the online portal www.pmfby.gov.in. There you will get all the information about the application process, premium calculation, and claim process.

Apart from this, keep in touch with the representatives of the local agriculture department or insurance company from time to time, so that you keep getting information about the changes in the scheme. Also tell other farmers of your village about this scheme, so that more and more people can take advantage of it.

conclusion

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is a strong support for farmers. It not only protects their hard work from natural disasters, but also makes them financially and mentally strong. If you are a farmer, then definitely take advantage of this scheme. This is a reliable way to protect your farm and hard work. With this joint effort of the government and farmers, India’s agriculture will become stronger, and our food providers will be able to carry forward their hard work without any fear.