The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to implement the new crop insurance, PMFBY, in the ongoing rabi season, covering a dozen crops including wheat and paddy. With this, total number of states and Union territories implementing the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), launched early 2016, has reached 27. “The State has finalised the tender. The State-level coordination committee on crop insurance (SLCCC) met last week and finalised the notification,” a senior Union Agriculture Ministry official told PTI. The notification will be issued any time soon. Paddy, maize, wheat and some oilseeds will be covered under the scheme, he said. Although the State is implementing the policy almost towards the end of the rabi sowing, farmers can still take up PMFBY as the Central government has extended the deadline for enrolment till January 10. The J&K government had sought the Centre to give permission to cover horticulture crops, especially apple, mango and saffron under PMFBY, but its proposal was denied. Kharif crops The State had last offered the crop insurance scheme NAIS (National Agricultural Insurance Scheme) for 2013 kharif (winter) crops, under which 4,545 farmers had enrolled insuring a sum of Rs 1,858 lakh, while the claims to the tune of Rs 2.34 crore was given to about 183 farmers. It had also offered Weather-based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) in 2014, under which 1,364 farmers had enrolled insuring total sum of Rs 461 lakh and Rs 30 lakh claims was given to all those who had taken the policy. These two crop insurance policies were merged to launch a new crop insurance scheme PMFBY, under which farmers pay very nominal premium and get full claim for the crop damage. PTI Source - http://www.thehindu.com