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Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): Eligibility & How to Apply
Farmers face many risks, such as unpredictable weather, pests, and sudden crop loss. That’s where Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) helps. It offers crop insurance with government support so that farmers can recover from damage and secure their income. This scheme covers many crops and risks. Plus, it’s easy to apply online. Here’s more on the PMFBY scheme.
What Is Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)?
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is a government-backed crop insurance scheme. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana launched date is 18th February 2016. It was designed to shield farmers from financial losses due to crop failure. Whether caused by natural disasters, pests, or diseases, farmers get a safety net.
This scheme replaced older programmes like the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and offered better coverage and simpler processes. Since then, millions of farmers have signed up. The idea is simple—protect farmers’ income and promote sustainable farming. By reducing financial stress, PMFBY helps farmers focus on their crops. Today, it plays a key role in rural India’s stability.
India did have crop insurance schemes before PMFBY. Yet, those earlier schemes often struggled. The NAIS and Modified NAIS existed but faced major issues. Delayed claim settlements, low awareness, and complicated processes left many farmers frustrated. Despite subsidies and loan waivers, farmers still faced financial ruin after crop failures.
Weather patterns were shifting, too—floods, droughts, and pests became more frequent. Traditional schemes couldn’t fully protect farmers from these growing risks. Many farmers didn’t enrol because premiums felt high and payouts took too long. That’s where PMFBY stepped in and offered affordable premiums, faster claim settlements, and wider risk coverage. Plus, it used modern tools like remote sensing and smartphones to speed up surveys and payouts. PMFBY simplified the process, making crop insurance more farmer-friendly.
The goal was clear: make sure no farmer feels helpless after losing a crop. By offering both loanee and non-loanee farmers a reliable safety net, PMFBY boosted trust and participation. It wasn’t about starting from scratch—it was about doing better, faster, and reaching more farmers.
Objectives of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
The core mission of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is to offer financial support to farmers hit by crop loss or damage. The scheme helps stabilise farmers’ incomes during tough times. By reducing the burden of uncertainty, it encourages them to continue farming.
Another important aim is to promote modern agricultural practices. Farmers are nudged to adopt advanced techniques without fearing complete losses. PMFBY also aims to maintain the credit flow to farmers. This ensures they have enough working capital.
At its heart, PMFBY seeks to protect farmers, boost productivity, and improve rural livelihoods across India.
Highlights of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana offers wide coverage. It applies to food crops, oil seeds, and commercial or horticultural crops. Farmers can claim coverage for prevented sowing, post-harvest losses, and localised disasters.
Another highlight is the use of advanced technology. PMFBY promotes faster claim settlements using remote sensing, smartphones, and GPS tools. It also has a streamlined application process that allows farmers to apply online or offline.
The PMFBY scheme is available in every state and union territory. PMFBY is supported by both the central and state governments. Together, they share the premium subsidy, making it affordable for farmers.
What Are the Types of Risks Covered Under PMFBY?
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana covers multiple risks to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods and incomes. The scheme offers wide protection against several unpredictable events that threaten crops every season.
- PMFBY shields farmers from losses caused by natural disasters like floods, droughts, cyclones, landslides, and pest attacks. Even less frequent but highly damaging events, such as hailstorms or accidental fires, are included in the coverage under PMFBY. These risks often leave farmers with little to no harvest, pushing them into debt. That’s why having this safety net matters.
- Sowing risk is another critical aspect of PMFBY. Sometimes, extreme weather prevents farmers from planting seeds. In such cases, this scheme compensates them for the investment already made. Even if crops are lost after harvest due to unseasonal rain or storms, farmers can still claim compensation.
- Another standout feature is protection against localised disasters. If a landslide or a hailstorm affects a specific village or small region, farmers there can still claim Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana benefits. This ensures that even isolated incidents are recognised and covered.
PMFBY plays a key role in stabilising rural incomes, giving farmers the confidence to continue farming despite nature’s unpredictability.
What Are the Premiums under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana?
PMFBY offers low premium rates for farmers. For kharif crops, farmers pay only 2% of the sum insured. For rabi crops, it’s just 1.5%. For instance, a farmer insures his kharif crop for ₹1 lakh and under PMFBY, he pays only ₹2,000 as a premium. For a rabi crop with the same sum insured, he pays just ₹1,500. This low-cost protection helps farmers manage risks without draining their pockets, making insurance truly affordable.
Commercial and horticultural crops attract a slightly higher premium—5% of the sum insured. The government, both central and state, shares the remaining premium burden.
This makes PMFBY affordable for small and marginal farmers. The actual premium amount depends on the crop and location. Overall, the farmer-focused scheme keeps the costs low while offering wide protection.
What Is the Eligibility Criteria of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana?
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is open to all farmers. Here are the eligibility criteria:
- Both loanee and non-loanee farmers can apply. Farmers who have taken seasonal agricultural loans from financial institutions are automatically covered.
- Non-loanee farmers, however, can apply voluntarily.
- The scheme is available for farmers growing food crops, oil seeds, and horticultural or commercial crops.
- To qualify, farmers must cultivate land in notified areas.
- They also need to follow guidelines laid out by the state or central government. With simple rules and easy access, PMFBY helps more farmers secure their crops against unexpected losses.
How to Apply Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) Online?
Farmers can apply for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana online through the official portal at https://pmfby.gov.in. Visit the scheme’s website and select your state and crop.
Fill out the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana form with accurate details and upload the required documents like land records and bank passbook copies. Once submitted, you will receive an acknowledgement.
Farmers can also apply through banks or common service centres. After applying, continue to check the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana status to track your progress. With a simple online process, PMFBY makes crop insurance quick and convenient.
What Are the Documents Required for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana?
To enrol in PMFBY, farmers need a few basic documents:
- A copy of their Aadhaar card and land ownership records
- A recent passport-size photograph
- A bank passbook copy to link the claim payoutProof of the agricultural loan or loanee farmers
- A self-declaration form for non-loanee farmers
Farmers can avoid claim delays and secure quick crop insurance benefits by submitting correct records.
How to Report Crop Loss and Claim Insurance?
Farmers covered under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana must report crop loss within 72 hours. They can inform their local agriculture officer or insurer or call the helpline number.
Submit details like the type of loss, affected area, and crop information. Photos of the damaged crops will help support the PMFBY claim.
Once reported, the insurer verifies the loss. After approval, the payout is directly credited to the farmer’s bank account. PMFBY makes the claim process simple and transparent. It makes sure timely help reaches farmers so they can recover and resume farming quickly.
What Are the Revised Operational Guidelines for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY)?
The government introduced revised guidelines for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to make the scheme farmer-friendly. One key change is optional enrollment for loanee farmers.
The revised rules also include stricter timelines for claim settlements. Technology like remote sensing is now widely used to speed up loss assessment.
Additionally, there is a focus on increasing awareness among farmers. States must now promote the scheme actively. These updates make PMFBY smoother and more efficient. Farmers benefit from faster claims and clearer processes under the latest rules.
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