The deadline to apply for Kharif crops insurance under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is 31 July 2020. Those indebted farmers who do not wish to avail the insurance facility must inform their branch in written seven days before the last date. Non-indebted farmers can do crop insurance themselves on CSC, bank, agent, or insurance portal.
What is Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana?
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana compensates for the loss of crop due to unseasonal rain or excessive rainfall. A sudden change in weather can ruin the hard-earned earnings of many farmers. To aid the farmers in such a situation, the Government of India started the scheme on 13 January 2016.
According to the Agriculture Minister, under the scheme, damages due to hail, land loss, waterlogging, cloudburst, and natural fire are covered. Within 10 days of sowing, the farmer will have to fill the application form to avail of the benefits of PMFBY. The benefit of insurance will be given only if your crop has been damaged due to a natural disaster. The crops that lie between the stages of sowing and harvesting are compensated for natural calamities, diseases and pests, and other local calamities, like a hailstorm, landslides, cloudburst, loss from lightning.
How to get benefit in PMFBY
After harvesting, the insurance company will compensate for the damage to the crops kept for drying in the field for the next 14 days due to unseasonal cyclone, hail, and storm damage on an individual basis. Due to unfavorable seasonal conditions, if you do not sow the crop, you will get benefits.
One has to pay a 2% premium for the Kharif crop and 1.5% premium for Rabi crop. The PMFBY scheme also provides insurance cover for commercial and horticultural crops. Under this scheme, farmers have to pay a 5% premium. To avail the benefits, one photograph of the farmer, any type of ID card, address proof, khasra number of the field sample of the crop in the field has to be provided.
To contact the insurance company, one can dial toll-free number 18002005142 or 1800120909090 or contact the insurance company and agriculture department specialist for the claim.
