The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the comprehensive crop insurance scheme launched this year by the government, has provided coverage to over 26 per cent farmers and is likely to cross the target of 30 per cent coverage for both kharif and rabi seasons in 2016-17, the Agriculture Ministry has said.

“In terms of total area covered, the achievement has been significant amounting to a total area of 388.62 lakh hectare and sum insured of ₹1,41,339 crore. The performance this season has improved by 18.50 per cent in terms of farmers coverage, 15 per cent in terms of area coverage and 104 per cent in terms of sum insured….” an official release circulated by the Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday stated.

In comparison, in kharif 2015 the number of farmers covered was 309 lakh (22.33 per cent), total area coverage was 339 lakh hectare and sum insured was ₹69,307 crore, the release added.

The performance in kharif 2016 (June-September) is better despite the fact that there were teething issues such as a delay in notification of the scheme by many States. The cut-off date for availing insurance was extended July 31, 2016, which was later extended to August 10, 2016.

Furthermore, there has been a quantum jump of more than 6 times in the coverage of non-loanee farmers from 14.88 lakh in kharif 2015 to 102.6 lakh in kharif 2016, the release said.

The PMFBY, which replaced the older National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and the modified NAIS, seeks to provide comprehensive insurance to farmers against the vagaries of nature at very low premia of 2 per cent of the insured value for the kharif crop and 1.5 per cent for the rabi season.

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