Big News for Farmers in Rajasthan: New Guidelines for Kharif Crop Insurance

jaipur. Important news regarding the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has emerged for farmers in Rajasthan. Starting from the Kharif 2026 season, verifying crop and insurance-related details has been made mandatory before issuing crop insurance policies in the state. The new guidelines issued by the Rajasthan Agriculture Department aim to enhance transparency in the insurance process, prevent the issuance of incorrect policies, and minimize complications that arise during claim settlements following crop loss.

Verification Before Policy Issuance

Under the new provisions, insurance policies will be approved only after reconciling the farmer's application, land records, and the crop actually sown. Verification will also be conducted regarding the crop's eligibility for insurance and the farmer's insurable interest in the land.

According to the Agriculture Department, discrepancies between the crop actually sown and the crop declared for insurance—often noticed only at the time of claim settlement—previously led to disputes. To address this issue, the focus has now shifted to verification at the policy issuance stage itself.

Use of Technology Alongside Physical Verification

Physical verification, crop health monitoring surveys, and technological tools will be utilized to reconcile the actual sown crop with the insured crop. If the insured crop area in a specific region exceeds the average sown area, the relevant policies will undergo mandatory scrutiny.

Where necessary, details will also be cross-verified using 'e-Girdawari' and DCS survey reports, in coordination with the District Collector and Agriculture Department officials.

Insurance Company Liable for Erroneous Policies

The new guidelines clarify that the concerned insurance company will be held liable for any financial or other burdens arising from incorrectly approved policies. Reports regarding the approval and cancellation of policies will also be submitted to the district-level monitoring committee. Farmers hope that this system will reduce disputes regarding documentation and the insured crop when filing claims after crop failure.

How much premium do farmers have to pay?

Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), the farmer's premium share has been capped. According to official PMFBY guidelines, the maximum share payable by the farmer is 2% for food grain and oilseed crops during the Kharif season and 1.5% during the Rabi season. For annual commercial and horticultural crops, the maximum share is 5%.

Farmers should avoid providing incorrect information

It is crucial for farmers to ensure that details regarding land, sown crops, area, and other particulars are recorded accurately when purchasing insurance. According to the Central Government, applications under PMFBY undergo quality checks and verification, which include cross-verifying details related to land, insured area, sown crops, and the farmer's identity.

Farmers facing issues related to insurance applications or claims can also register complaints via the 'Krishi Rakshak' portal or the helpline number 14447.

A step taken in the interest of farmers

The Department of Agriculture states that this system, set to be implemented from the Kharif 2026 season, will enhance transparency in the crop insurance scheme and safeguard farmers' interests. Verifying crops and land details prior to policy issuance is expected to help minimize future disputes during the claims process.