SRINAGAR: The Union Territory of Ladakh is intensifying efforts to broaden crop insurance coverage for its farming and orchard communities. Administration officials are working on a detailed strategy to implement the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The initiative received a significant push on Tuesday during a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra. He led a session of the State Level Coordination Committee on Crop Insurance (SLCCCI), where he emphasized the critical need to develop insurance products that are not only farmer-friendly but also specifically tailored to address Ladakh’s distinct climatic conditions.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, Secretary Agriculture and Horticulture, Bhupesh Chaudhary, presented a proposed framework for a weather-index-based insurance scheme. This scheme intends to offer financial security against adverse weather events rather than solely focusing on crop yield losses.
The proposed coverage aims to protect Ladakh’s primary horticultural crops, including apricots and apples, against risks such as minimum temperature fluctuations and unseasonal rainfall and snowfall. Additionally, plans are underway to include annual commercial crops like potatoes and peas under the PMFBY.
Reviewing the proposals, Chief Secretary Kundra underscored that the welfare of farmers must be the central focus of all crop insurance endeavors. He directed the relevant departments to prioritize the establishment of a reliable farmer database and ensure the effective registration of eligible beneficiaries on the insurance portal.
In a move designed to boost farmer participation, the Chief Secretary suggested exploring the possibility of the Union Territory Administration subsidizing insurance premiums for small orchard owners. This would specifically apply to those with up to 20 fruit-bearing trees, potentially alleviating significant financial burdens for small-scale farmers and encouraging wider adoption of insurance schemes.
Kundra also stressed the importance of conducting a thorough assessment of historical weather patterns and crop damage data when finalizing insurance products. Referencing recent losses incurred by farmers due to extreme weather, he stated that insurance schemes must be pragmatic and capable of providing substantial compensation during adverse climatic conditions affecting agricultural output.
During the meeting, officials reviewed proposed premium rates, payout mechanisms, weather trigger thresholds, and risk parameters for the insurance framework. The Chief Secretary instructed the Agriculture and Horticulture Department to assess whether existing rainfall and temperature trigger levels require further adjustments to more accurately reflect local climate variations and crop vulnerabilities.
Discussions also encompassed subsidy-sharing models involving farmers, the UT Administration, and the central government. Other key areas of discussion included crop-cutting experiments, yield estimation methodologies, and strategies for enhanced awareness campaigns to promote greater participation among farmers.
Highlighting the significance of public outreach, Kundra stated that farmers need to be fully informed about the advantages of crop insurance. He encouraged departments to organize extensive awareness programs across all districts of Ladakh to disseminate this information effectively.
Officials indicated that the proposed insurance framework is anticipated to bolster the financial security of farmers and orchardists, particularly in a region that is increasingly susceptible to weather-related risks and the impacts of climate variability.
The Chenab Times News Desk