Bhubaneswar, Aug. 20 (UDN): Farmers in Odisha have been given additional time to enrol under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for the Kharif 2026 season, with the registration deadline extended to August 31.
Representational image
The extension was approved by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare following a request from Odisha’s Cooperation Department, with the objective of ensuring that more eligible farmers are covered under the crop insurance scheme.
District-Wise Registration Rules
Under the extended timeline, registration will be open only to loanee farmers in nine districts — Ganjam, Kalahandi, Puri, Subarnapur, Bargarh, Bhadrak, Gajapati, Jajpur and Jagatsinghpur.
In the remaining districts, eligible farmers across categories can enrol under PMFBY, subject to the applicable scheme guidelines.
Crops Covered Under Kharif 2026
The notified crops covered under the scheme include:
Paddy
Maize
Groundnut
Finger millet (Ragi)
Cotton
Arhar
Ginger
Turmeric
Coverage is applicable to notified crops and areas as specified under the scheme.
Insurance Support for Farmers
Eligible loanee, non-loanee and sharecropper farmers can benefit from the scheme. For farmers in Odisha, crop insurance is available free of cost for land holdings of up to five acres, with Re 1 per plot required for bank account verification.
The Odisha government is bearing the farmers’ share of the insurance premium, while the Centre is providing subsidy support under the scheme.
How Farmers Can Enrol
Loanee farmers can complete registration through PACS/LAMPCS and concerned bank branches.
Non-loanee farmers can enrol through Common Service Centres (CSCs), cooperative banks, commercial bank branches, authorised insurance agents and approved digital platforms.
Sharecroppers are also eligible to apply by submitting the required details along with the acknowledgement or consent of the concerned landowner for the land being cultivated.
Farmers Urged Not to Miss Deadline
Farmers requiring assistance with registration can approach PACS/LAMPCS, ARCS, DRCS, Chief District Agriculture Officer (CDAO) offices and authorised insurance agents.
The Cooperation Department has urged all eligible farmers who have not yet insured their Kharif crops to complete the enrolment process before the August 31 deadline and avail themselves of the protection offered under PMFBY.