Agriculture officials trying to enrol farmers under PMFBY

Khammam: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is aimed at supporting sustainable production in agriculture sector by way of providing financial support to farmers. It provides insurance cover for crop loss/damage due to natural calamities.

The officials of Agriculture Department are holding extensive awareness programmes in all the Gram Panchayats in the district to bring more farmers under the insurance cover.

Yerrupalem mandal Agriculture officer Vijay Bhaskar Reddy said the farmers, who do not avail bank loans, are required to pay two per cent of premium, which amount to Rs 650, for total insurance cover of Rs 34,000.

All farmers, including sharecroppers and tenant farmers growing notified crops in the notified areas are eligible for coverage. Special efforts would be made to ensure maximum coverage of SC/ ST/ Women farmers under the scheme, he added.

Kusumanchi mandal Agriculture Officer Aruna Kumari urged the farmers to apply for crop insurance scheme under the PMFBY. The insurance scheme primarily helps the farmers during natural calamities and helps to recover considerable extent if the farmers apply for the scheme.

“PMFBY is compulsory for farmers who avail crop loans from banks. The premium is deducted from their bank accounts. The District Agriculture Officer Jhansi Kumari said the officials were educating the farmers on the benefits of the scheme. The officials, who would enrol at least 500 farmers in the scheme in a Gram Panchayat, would be felicitated on Republic Day, she added.