How to Apply for Crop Insurance in Uttarakhand

Out of the total reported area of 140 lakh acres, most of Uttarakhand is covered by forests and wastelands, leaving only 18.3 lakh acres for cultivation. A central government-introduced crop insurance scheme called PMFBY is being implemented throughout the state. Farmers are protected by the PMFBY, or Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, if natural disasters, pests, or diseases damage their crops. Farmers in the country benefit from the most affordable and lowest uniform insurance premiums.

How to Apply for Crop Insurance in Uttarakhand

Current Status of PMFBY Crop Insurance in Uttarakhand

The state’s farmers are being given the facility of insurance cover for their crops to reduce the crop risk from natural calamities like pest diseases, drought, excessive rainfall, etc. Under this, the third week of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is celebrated as a special publicity week from July 1-7. Since 2016, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has been implemented in all the state districts.

The Agriculture Department is operating Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. The reorganized Weather Based Horticulture Department is running Crop Insurance Scheme. Two insurance agencies, SBI General Insurance (SBI GI) and Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC) work in Uttarakhand. Since 2016 till now 12 lakh 46 thousand farmers in the state have been insured. Out of which 4 lakh, 93 thousand farmers have been given insurance benefits of Rs 410.01 crore.

Application Procedure to Get Crop Insurance

Apply In-Person

A form for the WBCIS crop insurance scheme is available from the agricultural department or at the Tehsildar’s office in Uttrakhand
An application form for the crop insurance scheme (WBCIS) is obtained from the agriculture department or tehsildar office by applicants.
In the application form, all information must be entered by the applicant.
The applicant must carry all required documents listed under the “Required Documents” section of this page. A photocopy and an original are both required.
When submitting the application to the office, the applicant should include photocopies of all documents (whichever is necessary) and the application form.
Upon the request of the authority, the procedure fee must be paid.
A crop insurance policy will be issued if the applicant follows all the abovementioned procedures properly.
This procedure generally takes 30 to 45 days to complete.
After receiving the notification, the applicant can pick up their insurance by visiting the office.

Apply Online

Please click on the following link to apply for crop insurance online: www.pmfby.gov.in
Go to the site homepage and click on the “Farmer Corner” icon.
You can log in with your mobile number if you are already a registered member. The “Guest Farmer” button can be found if you don’t have an account.
The “Registration for New Farmer User” application form must be completed.
Click the “Create User” button once you’ve entered the CAPTCHA.
Follow the prompts on the page, fill in all the details, and click “Next.”
Then click “Next” to complete your “Bank Details.”.
Fill in the “Crop Details” form and upload all required documents.
Click “Submit” to register once you have entered all the details.
Upon opening the payment page, enter your card details and click the “Make Payment” button.
The registration will be completed once the payment has been made.
After your successful registration, you will receive an SMS, email notification, and credentials.
Visit the homepage once you have registered.
To log in, click the “Farmer Corner” icon and the “Login for Farmer” button.
You must enter your mobile number and complete a CAPTCHA on the following page before clicking the “Request or OTP” button.
Once you have entered the OTP, complete the crop insurance application and submit it.
Your receipt number will be sent once your application has been submitted.
You can check your application’s status by visiting the same link.
Click the “Application Status” icon on the homepage.
To check your application status, enter the “Receipt Number” and the “Captcha Code.” Click on the “Check Status” button. You will be able to view the status of your application.

Required Documents for Applying for Crop Insurance

Application form
ID proof (Aadhaar card)
Annual income certificate
Bank account number
Address proof (Ration card/Rental agreement)
Evidence of land records prevailing in the state (Records of Right (ROR)
Land possession certificate (LPC)
Other documents notified
Permit by concerned state Govt.

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What were the Issues Related to the PMFBY Scheme?

Financial Constraints of States: The financial constraints of the state governments and the low claim ratio during normal seasons are the major reasons for the non-implementation of the scheme by these States.

States are unable to deal with a situation where insurance companies compensate farmers less than the premium they have collected from them and the Centre.
The State governments failed to release funds on time , leading to delays in releasing insurance compensation.
This defeats the scheme’s very purpose, which is to provide timely financial assistance to the farming community.

Claim Settlement Issues: Many farmers are dissatisfied with both the compensation level and settlement delays. The role and power of Insurance companies are significant. In many cases, it didn’t investigate losses due to a localized calamity and did not pay the claims.
Implementation Issues: Insurance companies have shown no interest in bidding for clusters that are prone to crop loss. Moreover, it is in the nature of the insurance business for entities to make money when crop failures are low and vice-versa.

Premiums Need to be Paid for Crop Insurance under PMFBY

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

Earlier, there was a provision to capping the premium rate, resulting in low claims paid to farmers.
The capping was done to limit the government’s outlay on premium subsidies.
Farmers will now have access to the full sum insured without any reduction due to the removal of this capping.

Coverage of PMFBY Crop Insurance Scheme

Basic Cover

As part of the basic coverage of PMFBY, you are covered for the loss of standing crops (sowing to harvesting) caused by unavoidable circumstances, for instance, floods, droughts, fires, pest attacks, and crop diseases. A claim is granted according to the area affected.

Add-on Coverage

Depending on the crop requirements and dangers leading to crop loss, the State Government may or may not provide additional coverage.

Prevented sowing/planting risk: The insured area is restricted from sowing due to drastic climatic conditions.
Mid-season adversity: During the crop season, this cover provides immediate relief if seasonal climatic changes occur.
Post-harvest losses: The cover facilitates an instant insurance claim in case of any calamity within two weeks of harvesting.
Localized calamities: Crop loss due to localized calamities, such as hailstorms, heavy rainfall, cyclones, lightning, etc.
Wild animal attacks result in crop losses

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Conclusion

To safeguard the interests of farmers, PMFBY was launched on 18th February 2016. In times of adversity, such as natural calamities, pest attacks, or crop diseases, PMFBY enables farmers to claim their insurance. It is a joint effort between the Central and State governments. Accordingly, all other crop insurance schemes have been declined since “One Nation, One Scheme” is the main motto.

How to Apply for Crop Insurance in Uttarakhand