The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) offers crucial insurance coverage to farmers against natural disasters like unseasonal rain, hailstorms, floods, and pest attacks, helping them recover from crop losses with financial support.
✅ What Is PMFBY?
Launched on February 18, 2016, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the PMFBY replaced the earlier National Agricultural Insurance Scheme. Its aim is to provide affordable crop insurance to farmers with minimal premiums, covering damage due to:
-
Natural calamities
-
Pest infestations
-
Post-harvest losses
-
Localized disasters
🎯 Objectives of the Scheme
-
Provide financial support to farmers in times of crop loss
-
Stabilize farmer incomes
-
Encourage continued farming and adoption of modern techniques
-
Empower farmers and strengthen India’s agriculture sector
⭐ Key Features
-
Low premium: Farmers pay only 1.5%–5%; the rest is subsidized by the government
-
Zero premium: In Northeast, Himachal Pradesh, and J&K, the government pays the full premium
-
Covers:
-
Unseasonal rain
-
Hailstorms
-
Pest/disease damage
-
Landslides
-
-
Use of satellite images, drones, and mobile apps for accurate assessment
-
Claims settled within 2 months
📌 Coverage Categories
| Coverage Stage | Events Covered |
|---|---|
| Sowing/Planting | Inability to sow due to weather |
| Standing Crop | Rain, floods, hail, storm, pests, diseases |
| Post-Harvest (14 days) | Loss due to natural events after harvest |
| Localized Calamities | Hail, landslide, waterlogging, cloudburst, fire |
💰 Premium Rates
| Crop Type | Farmer’s Share of Premium |
|---|---|
| Kharif Crops | 2% |
| Rabi Crops | 1.5% |
| Commercial/Horticulture | 5% |
👨🌾 Eligibility
-
All farmers growing notified crops
-
Must have land ownership/lease documents
-
Apply within 2 weeks of the season start
-
Must not be claiming for the same crop under any other scheme
📝 How to Apply
Online
-
Visit the official PMFBY portal
-
Click on Farmers Corner → Guest Farmer
-
Fill the registration form (Name, Aadhaar, bank details, etc.)
-
Log in using mobile OTP
-
Fill insurance application with crop & land details
-
Submit the form and make payment (now or later)
-
Download payment receipt
Offline
-
Visit banks or insurance offices offering PMFBY
-
Or apply via Common Service Centres (CSCs) with the help of VLEs
📲 Check Application Status
-
Go to the official PMFBY portal
-
Click Application Status
-
Enter your Policy ID and Captcha
-
View application progress
📑 Required Documents
-
Passport-size photo
-
Aadhaar, PAN, or Voter ID
-
Bank passbook
-
Land ownership or lease documents
-
Crop declaration
-
Mobile number
🧮 Premium Calculator
-
Use the Premium Calculator on the PMFBY portal
-
Enter crop season and land area
-
Get the estimated premium based on crop and region
❓ FAQs
-
Which crops are covered?
Food grains, oilseeds, and horticultural/commercial crops (government-notified). -
Do all farmers pay the same premium?
Yes, fixed rates apply to all based on crop type. -
How to claim insurance?
File a claim through bank, insurance office, or CSC with all supporting documents. -
Is insurance mandatory?
Not anymore. Since 2020, it’s voluntary for all farmers. -
Do Himachal/J&K farmers pay premium?
No, the government covers 100% of their premium.
