Bihar mulling embracing Centre’s crop insurance coverage scheme after Jharkhand, Telangana rejoin PMFBY

The variety of States that implement the Centre’s flagship crop insurance coverage scheme PMFBY might soar to 22 as Jharkhand and Telangana are more likely to begin enrolment for the following kharif season. Whereas discussions with Bihar is at a sophisticated stage for its return, Gujarat is but to make up its thoughts.

“We’re hopeful of Jharkhand and Telangana to begin enrolment for this kharif, Bihar might not be capable of do even when it decides to rejoin as little or no time is left,” mentioned an official supply. Jharkhand determined to rejoin the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) final 12 months whereas Telangana conveyed its choice this February after new authorities was shaped.

For the kharif 2024 season, enrolment underneath PMFBY has began solely in Himachal Pradesh whilst 20 days have handed. The traditional enrolment for kharif begins from April 1 and ends on July 31, however the interval varies from state to state and at occasions even from crop to crop. The premium charges have to be mounted earlier than April 1, as per pointers, however it’s not adopted by States.

“PMFBY is a non-political scheme geared toward gradual shifting in the direction of actual insurance coverage as beforehand it was compensation-based fashions. Crop insurance coverage will take extra years to mature in India as farmers’ welfare stay core to the coverage making within the authorities and advantages for small and marginal farmers are at all times accorded precedence,” mentioned a prime official of a non-public insurance coverage agency.

Stakeholder consultations

He additionally mentioned that after West Bengal, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh launched common protection, insuring all farmers by default, and the token ₹1 premium as farmer share launched by Maharashtra and Odisha in 2023, the Centre can also be consulting with stakeholders if there’s a feasibility to make PMFBY common for small and marginal farmers, proudly owning as much as 2 hectares of land.

Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Jharkhand had stop PMFBY in 2020 whereas West Bengal and Bihar exited the scheme earlier than. Punjab by no means carried out the scheme because it doesn’t see PMFBY helpful for the farmers amid 100 per cent irrigation, primarily from groundwater.

Specialists mentioned that Gujarat’s exit from the scheme factors to one thing improper with PMFBY because it was launched in 2016 after Narendra Modi grew to become the prime minister. Except the Centre addresses these considerations of Gujarat and ensures its return, the scheme might not be engaging, mentioned a former prime official of the agriculture ministry and added: “at the very best it might be compulsion for a state with none viable different.”