SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday reviewed the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and related crop insurance programmes in Jammu and Kashmir, stressing the need for enhanced farmer enrolment and timely settlement of claims.
Chairing a meeting of the State Level Coordination Committee on Crop Insurance (SLCCCI), the Chief Secretary directed all stakeholders to ensure coverage of eligible farmers reflected on the Kisan Rin Portal and work towards universal enrolment under the scheme.
Dulloo said the ongoing Khet Bachao Abhiyan should be used as an effective platform to create awareness among farmers about crop insurance and encourage them to avail its benefits. He also directed banks to reach out to Kisan Credit Card (KCC) holders and facilitate their enrolment under PMFBY.
To strengthen implementation at the grassroots level, he suggested the designation of district-wise nodal officers who would coordinate with banks, insurance companies and district administrations to resolve bottlenecks and ensure smooth execution of the scheme.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to protecting farmers from crop losses caused by natural calamities and adverse weather conditions, the Chief Secretary called for collective efforts to expand insurance coverage and improve financial security for the farming community.
Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Ashish Chandra Verma, presented an overview of the scheme’s performance, including claim settlements, farmer coverage and implementation of the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS).
He stressed the need for greater awareness at the grassroots level and said the Agriculture Production Department would utilise Khet Bachao Abhiyan and other outreach programmes to educate farmers about crop insurance benefits.
The meeting was informed by Director Agriculture Kashmir that more than 12.89 lakh farmers have been covered under PMFBY since its launch in Jammu and Kashmir, while over 6.85 lakh farmers have benefited through claim settlements.
Officials said a cumulative area of more than 4.05 lakh hectares has been insured under the scheme up to Rabi 2025. Against a premium collection of ₹463.37 crore, claims amounting to ₹220.35 crore have been settled in favour of farmers.
Regarding Kharif 2025, claims worth ₹53.58 crore have been submitted, covering around 1.27 lakh farmers. During the season, nearly 2.01 lakh farmers were enrolled under PMFBY, covering more than 75,000 hectares of agricultural land.
The meeting was also informed that over 2,100 loss intimations relating to localised calamities and post-harvest losses during Rabi 2025-26 have been received, involving claims exceeding ₹5.52 crore. The Agriculture Production Department is coordinating with stakeholders for timely processing and settlement of eligible claims.
Officials noted that Jammu and Kashmir has recorded significant growth in farmer enrolment and area coverage under crop insurance during Rabi 2025-26 and emerged among the best-performing States and Union Territories in terms of enrolment growth.
The meeting also reviewed the implementation of the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme and discussed advisories issued by the Government of India regarding proposed revisions to PMFBY and RWBCIS guidelines ahead of the national tender cycle beginning from Kharif 2026.
Dulloo directed the Agriculture Production Department to complete all preparatory measures for timely implementation of crop insurance schemes and reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening farmer resilience against weather-related and production risks through expanded insurance coverage and prompt claim settlement.