UDHAMPUR, Nov 3: As per the directions of Director Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare, Jammu, Anil Gupta, the “Meri Policy Mere Haath” programme under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was organised at SDAO Udhampur to create awareness among farmers regarding crop insurance benefits, enrolment, claim settlement and crop loss intimation.
The programme was attended by Vikas Padha, Chief Agriculture Officer, Udhampur; Ashish Agarwal, President and Country Head, Agriculture Business, Bajaj General Insurance Ltd.; Sudhir Manhas, District Agriculture Officer, Udhampur; Darshan Sharma, SDAO Udhampur; Prashant Panday, Zonal Sales Head, North & East, Bajaj General Insurance Ltd.; Sonu Kumar, State Head, Agriculture Business, Jammu & Kashmir; Sunil Lakhotra, Project Officer PMFBY, GOI; Anirudh Kumar Bhat, Nodal Officer PMFBY, Directorate of Agriculture Jammu; field officers and beneficiary farmers.
During the programme, PMFBY policy documents were distributed among enrolled farmers, who were sensitised about insurance coverage, insured crops, sum insured, eligibility criteria and the enrolment process. A detailed discussion was also held on pending and settled claims, farmers’ grievances and measures to ensure timely settlement of eligible claims.
Special emphasis was laid on the crop loss intimation process, with farmers informed about the importance of reporting crop losses within the prescribed 72-hour timeline through the Crop Insurance App, toll free number 14447 or other prescribed channels.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Agriculture Officer, Udhampur, Vikas Padha, emphasised the importance of PMFBY in safeguarding farmers against crop losses and urged them to ensure timely enrolment and reporting of crop losses.
He stressed close coordination among the Agriculture Department, insurance companies and field functionaries for effective claim settlement and grievance redressal.
Ashish Agarwal, President and Country Head, Agriculture Business, Bajaj General Insurance Ltd., highlighted the benefits of PMFBY and assured farmers of the company’s commitment towards facilitating insurance services, addressing their concerns and ensuring efficient processing of eligible claims.
He also urged farmers to maintain necessary documents and report crop losses within the prescribed timeline.
The programme provided a platform for farmers to interact with departmental officers and insurance representatives, clarify their queries and understand the procedures for enrolment, crop loss reporting and claim settlement, thereby strengthening awareness and confidence in PMFBY.