Over 50,000 farmers in Gujarat buys crop insurance online

Having faced the worst of droughts, farmers have started taking crop insurance seriously with more than 50,000 of them in Gujarat registering for the new crop insurance cover PMFBY via the Gujarat state portal.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) launched this year, farmers’ premium has been kept lower between 1.5-2% for foodgrains and oilseed crops and up to 5% for horticultural and cotton crops. There is no cap on the premium.

“Farmers in drought-hit states have taken crop insurance seriously this time. More than 50,000 farmers have so far enroled for PMFBY for the 2016-17 kharif season in Gujarat via the state portal on crop insurance,” a senior Agriculture Ministry official told.

Gujarat is the only state at present which is enrolling farmers under the scheme strictly through its e-portal. In other states including Uttar Pradesh, farmers are being registered by concerned agencies including banks, Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS).

“So, the exact number of farmers registered for the scheme both online and through other ways would be known later. Once the banks upload the details of insured farmers on the central crop insurance scheme portal, it will be known to all stakeholders,” he added.