How can a Farmer Avail Crop Insurance (PMFBY) Services?
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana portal integrates all stakeholders on a single IT platform to simplify Crop Insurance services and to ensure better administration of the Government Sponsored Crop Insurance Schemes.
Farmers can avail crop insurance services using the revamped PMFBY portal. There is a step by step process that farmers need to follow in order to get their crops insured.
Step 1 — Insurance Premium Calculator
Before applying for Crop insurance, it is important for the farmers to have an idea of the insurance premium. The farmers can calculate the insurance premium themselves using the Insurance Premium Calculator available on the PMFBY portal homepage.
Step 2 — Policy Application for Crop Insurance
A policy application form has to be filled in order to avail crop insurance services. Policy forms for loanee farmers is filled automatically. The insurance premium is deducted from the amount of loan they take from the bank. Non loanee farmers can visit the nearest Common Service Centers (CSCs) to get their policy form filled.
The farmer needs to carry his/her Aadhar card (mandatory) along with the bank passbook. If the farmer is a resident of Assam, Meghalaya or Jammu & Kashmir, Aadhar ID is not mandatory. The farmers from these 3 States can provide alternate ID such as Driving license, Kisan Credit Card, and Voter ID etc.
Once the policy application is filled by the bank or CSC, the farmer receives a Acknowledgement receipt. This receipt contains the application number which the farmer can use to login to the PMFBY portal.
Step 3— Report Crop Loss and Apply for Claim
If the crop gets damaged, the farmer can report crop loss and also apply for claim on the PMFBY portal. The status of the applied claim can be checked by the farmers through the portal anytime. The farmers will be notified through SMS once their claim gets approved or rejected.
Once the claim gets approved, the farmer receives the Insurance amount directly into the bank account mentioned in the policy application form.
Step 4 — Complaints and Help Line
Farmers can share their portal related grievances through the complaints option present on the PMFBY portal. Helpline support is also provided to all the farmers for instant solutions. Complaints registered by the farmers would be acknowledged immediately and would be solved within 24 hours.
The farmer can also find the Insurance company and Bank branch directory on the portal.
Conclusion
PMFBY portal offers complete access to the farmers and ensures data transparency. The portal is loaded with efficient functionalities and is user friendly. Separate registration and unique login IDs are provided to each farmer. The new portal also ensures coordination & transparency to fetch real-time information, monitor and service delivery, particularly for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the beneficiary farmers, avoid duplication, and integration of agriculture loans, land records of farmers, etc. It is considered to be another step in the spirit of digital India.
The portal offers faster functionality and will make information easily accessible to farmers, stakeholders including Central Government, State Government, financial institutions, empanelled Insurance Companies and their field functionaries etc.
