In the current system documents such as 7-12 extract, sowing certificates, bank passbook photocopy, Aadhaar card copy etc. are required for filling of the application. In order to save time of farmers Record of Rights (ROR) should be linked with Aadhaar.

The scheme’s scope is limited for districts in north-east where they have unique problems such as destruction of farm by wild animals, greater number of farmers producing horticulture crops, difficult terrain and low network connectivity. Special policy interventions should be taken to increase coverage. There should be a robust grievance redressal mechanism provided by insurance companies in addition to the one provided by Common Service Centres (CSCs) / officials.

There is requirement of proper capacity building and training as States and districts should be made aware about provision such as of extending of cut-off dates that can be adopted by the state depending on the Kharif and Rabi crop cycle of that particular state/district. Technologies like satellite imagery can be used for assessing crop damage. In addition, geotagging of the crop cutting experiment could be linked with digitization of land records to shorten the process of testifying land records at the level of Circle Officer/Tehsildar.

Cash incentive could be given to best performing field functionaries which will motivate them to conduct awareness campaigns and convince farmers of the scheme benefits. The other challenge is the non-inclusion of some Horticulture crops in the scheme and the high premium amount for Horticulture crops (5%) compared to other crops (2%). For this farmers’ premium for Horticulture Crops should be reduced and made at par with Agriculture Crops.

Motivating farmers to adopt PMFBY for risk coverage required behavioural change. Generally, when the crop doesn’t fail, farmers feel cheated as there is no return and in such scenarios coverage gets reduced in the following year. In efforts to overcome this challenge Premium could be reduced for farmers when there is no claim in a year. This could be on pattern of no claim benefit as in case of car insurance. Another suggestion was that Centre and State may bear full cost and premium be recovered from farmer in case of failure.

To mitigate the effects of farm issues like these, the benefits of PMFBY were publicised in the District which is aimed at shielding farmers from uncertainty through insurance. The scheme was heavily promoted to motivate farmers and create awareness amongst them to enrol in the programme. The authorities enlightened farmers with various aspects of PMFBY - from the need for crop insurance, procedure of enrolment, nearby facilitation centres, enrolment centre for the village and compensation amount details, amongst other things.

Whenever banks sanction loan for a notified crop in a notified area, the crop loan amount only to the extent of Scale of Finance for notified crops and acreage of individual notified crops of loanee farmers shall be taken into consideration for compulsory coverage, as per seasonality discipline. Based on seasonality of Crops, banks should separately calculate the eligibility of loan amount for both Kharif and Rabi seasons based on the scale of Finance and declared acreage under notified crops.

The Government is also endeavoring for the integration of all the stakeholders viz, farmers, insurance companies, financial institutions and Government agencies on an IT platform to ensure better administration, coordination and transparency for getting real time information and monitoring etc. in a phased manner in consultation with Ministry of Finance and other stakeholders.

Farmers, States, Insurers and Banks. Detailed outlines of Crop Insurance Portal for administration of Crop Insurance Programme along with its phases, functions and role and responsibilities for entry of data/information etc under different phases are at Para XXV. The basic information like notified areas, crops, Sum Insured, Government subsidy, premium to be paid by farmers, and concerned insurance companies in the particular insurance unit of has been digitized and put on the web portal so that Farmers and other stakeholders may get the relevant information on Internet and through SMS.

All farmers including sharecroppers and tenant farmers growing the notified crops in the notified areas are eligible for coverage. However, farmers should have insurable interest for the notified/ insured crops. The non-loanee farmers are required to submit necessary documentary evidence of land records prevailing in the State (Records of Right (RoR), Land possession Certificate (LPC) etc.) and/ or applicable contract/ agreement details/ other documents notified/ permitted by concerned State Government.