How to Apply for Crop Insurance in Odisha

Due to uncertainty in crop production due to natural causes, including unpredictable weather events and pest attacks, agriculture is a highly risky venture. In case of crop failure, governments implement crop insurance schemes to provide farmers with economic assistance. PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) is a crop insurance scheme introduced by the central government.

In addition to providing coverage for under-localized risks and post-harvest losses, it generalizes crop estimation technology and promotes crop insurance. This scheme has replaced all other crop insurance schemes in India. Although it has assimilated the best features of all existing schemes, it is also focused on fixing the shortcomings.

How to Apply for Crop Insurance in Odisha

Current Status of Crop Insurance Schemes in Odisha

The State Government has requested the Center’s assistance settling the claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for Kharif 2021. Following are the initiatives taken by the State Government to enhance scheme implementation.

First State to introduce Smart Sampling Technique (SST) for selection of plots for the conduct of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs)
The second state to integrate State Land Records Portal with National Crop Insurance Portal
Special drive taken for capturing CCE data using Mobile App leads to maximum capturing of such data
Constitution of District and Block Level Monitoring Committers to oversee program implementation

During the Kharif season of 2021, several natural calamities affected many crops, especially paddy, which accounts for nearly 98% of the state’s insurance coverage. So far, about Rs. 748 Crore of claims have been settled for the said season, out of an estimated Rs. 1364 Crore.

Risks Covered under PMFBY

Standing Crop: Yield Loss due to Non-preventable risks such as-

Natural fire
Lightning
Storms, Hailstorms, Typhoons, Hurricanes, Tornados, etc.
Floods, Landslides, and Inundations
Drought and Dry spells
Pests/Diseases, etc.

Prevented Sowing/Planting Risk: When a deficit/adverse rainfall prevents most insured farmers of a notified area from sowing or planting, up to 25% of their sum insured can be claimed as indemnity.
Post-Harvest Losses: Insurance coverage is available for crops cut and spread to dry in the field following harvesting against cyclone/cyclonic rain or unseasonal rain in the country for a maximum period of 14 days.
Localized Calamities: Coverage from losses that occur due to some identified localized risks- hailstorms, landslides, inundations which eventually affected isolated farms in the notified area

Excluded Risks

Wars and nuclear risks
Malicious damage
Riots
Theft and Acts of enmity
Grazed and destroyed by domestic or wild animals

Documents Needed for PMFBY

Bank account number
Aadhaar card
Khasra’s number of land
Agreement photocopy
Ration card
Voter ID
Driving license
Passport-size photograph of the farmer, etc.

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How to Apply for PMFBY Online?

A few modifications have been made to the online application process. To enroll under this crop insurance scheme, applicants must click the official link, http://pmfby.gov.in/.
On the homepage, you will find six different tablets. A farmer must take the mouse pointer on the table marked “Farmer Corner – Apply for Crop Insurance on Your Own” to apply for the first time.
A smaller box with two options will appear on the screen as soon as one clicks on this link. There are two options: “Login for Farmer” and “Guest Farmer.”
“Login for Farmers” allows Farmers who have already applied to access other options.
Click “Guest Farmer” if you are creating a new application.
When this button is clicked, the official registration form will appear on the computer screen. For 2018, it is a revamped application form.
All fields must be filled out with appropriate information. If this application contains any errors, it will be canceled.
After completing the application, the applicant must enter the captcha code in the box and click the green “Create User” button.
After receiving confirmation on the registered mobile number, applicants must login with their credentials to complete the rest of the form. It is only then that the registration process will be complete.

How to Register Any Grievance Complaint?

The website also has a unique feature allowing farmers to highlight complaints or grievances. As a result, the department can determine if farmers are having difficulties during enrollment, submitting crop loss reports, checking claim status, and clarifying general doubts. The government will be able to serve these farmers as a result better.

To register a complaint, applicants must visit the official website, http://pmfby.gov.in/.
Then he must move the mouse pointer to the fifth option tablet from the left. “Complaints – Tell Us About Your Problems” is the name of this option tablet.
When one clicks on this link, a new page opens with the “Complaint/Grievance” box highlighted.
There are four fields visible in this box. A user’s name, a mobile number, an email address, and a comment appear on this page.
Farmers must enter their name, registered mobile number, and email address. Following that, he must describe his doubt, complaint, or issue.
When done, enter the captcha code in the “Enter Captcha Code” box and click the yellow “Submit” button to register the complaint.

How to Calculate PMFBY Crop Insurance Premium?

A unique option will allow the applicants to calculate the premium amount for the ease of farmers. For this, one must click on yojana’s official link.
Once the home page opens, the applicant has to click on the option tablet marked “Insurance Premium Calculator – Know Your Insurance Premium Before.”
A new page will open that will allow the person to calculate the premium amount for the insurance scheme.
The applicant has to enter whether the crop is Kharif or Rabi under the “Season” field, year related date under the “Year” field, pick the scheme name under the “Scheme” field, and also fill in “State,” “District,” and “Crop” fields with proper date.
To get the final premium amount, applicants must click the yellow button marked as “Calculate.”
This button will trigger the site to do necessary calculations as soon as it is clicked. Once the number crunching is done, it will highlight the amount on the screen. Thus, the applicant will know the total premium farmer has to pay to safeguard his investment and crops from any damage caused due to natural reasons.

Premium Rates in PMFBY Scheme

A uniform premium of only 2% will be payable by farmers for all Kharif crops, whereas 1.5% for all Rabi crops.
Similarly, for annual commercial and horticultural crops, farmers will have to pay only 5% as a premium.
There is a very low premium rate to be paid by farmers. Farmers will receive the full insured amount if the government pays the balance premium if their crops are lost due to natural calamities.
The government does not have an upper limit on subsidies. The government will bear the balance premium even if it is 90%.

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Conclusion

After suffering a 29 percent rain deficit by the end of August last year, farmers in several districts of Odisha had almost lost all hope of harvesting paddy from their farmlands. Farmers in western Odisha districts like Sambalpur, Bargarh, and Kalahandi, major paddy-producing districts, hoped that the PMFBY would help them as their crops withered due to the lack of rainfall in July and August.

How to Apply for Crop Insurance in Odisha