Covid 19 pandemic has shown the resilience of farmers who helped the nation ensure food security for all. Farmers toiled hard even during lockdown so that supply of food grains was uninterrupted and helped the Prime Minister’s vision of Aatma Nirbhar self-reliant India. PM Fasal Bima Yojana crop insurance safeguards farmers from unexpected loss due to natural calamities and pest attacks. Agriculture officials are creating awareness among farmers to pay premium for crop insurance on time so that they can avoid unexpected loss.

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched from Kharif 2016 with the aim of supporting production in agriculture by providing an affordable crop insurance. PMFBY aims at supporting sustainable production in agriculture sector by way of providing financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damages arising out of unforeseen events. The farmers are encouraged to adopt innovative and modern agricultural practices. The scheme is optional for all farmers including farmers who have been sanctioned short-term Seasonal Agricultural Operations loans/Kisan Credit Card for the notified crops. Aadhaar has been made mandatory for availing Crop insurance from Kharif 2017 season onwards. The PMFBY has been restructured with states given option to determine scale of finance at district level as per average yield. Central subsidy will be 30 percent for unirrigated crops and 25 per cent for irrigated areas. Farmers who have taken agriculture crop loans should take insurance in that bank itself. Under the scheme only 2 per cent of the insurance amount for paddy, pulses, ground nut, corn and millet has to be paid and only 5 per cent of total insurance amount for cotton crops.

In Tamil Nadu, 2.88 lakh hectare area of agricultural crops are insured under PM Fasal Bima Yojana with sum insurance of Rs 1899 crore so far. The total premium paid is Rs667 crore out of which central govt paid Rs 222 crore, Tamil Nadu govt paid Rs 416 crore and farmers paid Rs 28.89 crore. In Manachanallur block samba paddy is cultivated in about 2250 acres. In Tiruvachi village in Manachanallur block of Trichy agriculture officials led by Assistant Director (Crop Insurance) Shri Kuppusamy organised awareness campaign on PM Fasal Bima Yojana Crop insurance. They interacted with farmers and explained to them benefits of crop insurance especially to tide over natural calamities pest attacks. Farmers who cultivated samba paddy crops were advised to pay premium before November 30 for PMFBY. Farmers who have not taken agriculture loans should approach cooperative societies, nationalised banks and pay Rs 511.50 per acre according to Shri Kuppusamy. Farmers should submit copy of Aadhar card copy, bank passbook copy and land ownership details, said Shri Partheban Assistant Agriculture officer who organised the awareness programme. Assistant agriculture officials Bhaskar, Anand and others participated in the programme.

PMFBY crop insurance scheme will ensure that farmers do not suffer due to vagaries of nature. Agriculture officials are helping farmers to utilise the government schemes effectively that they are getting steady and enhanced income.

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