Bhubaneswar: The registration deadline under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for the Kharif 2026 season has been extended till August 31, providing additional time to eligible farmers in Odisha to insure their crops against losses caused by natural calamities and other uncertainties.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, extended the deadline following a request from the Cooperation Department of the Odisha government, with the aim of bringing more eligible farmers under the crop insurance scheme.
Under the extended deadline, registration will be available only to loanee farmers in Ganjam, Kalahandi, Puri, Subarnapur, Baragada, Bhadrak, Gajapati, Jajpur and Jagatsinghpur districts. In all other districts, all eligible categories of farmers can register under the scheme.
For Kharif 2026, notified crops covered under PMFBY include paddy, maize, groundnut, finger millet (ragi), cotton, arhar, ginger and turmeric, depending on the notified areas and crops.
Eligible loanee, non-loanee and sharecropper farmers can avail themselves of the benefits of the scheme. Farmers in Odisha can get crop insurance free of cost for land up to five acres, with only Re 1 per plot required for bank account verification. The farmers’ share of the premium is being borne by the state government, while subsidy assistance is being provided by the Centre.
Loanee farmers can register through PACS/LAMPCS and concerned bank branches. Non-loanee farmers can enrol through Common Service Centres (CSCs), cooperative banks, commercial bank branches, insurance agents and approved digital platforms.
Sharecroppers can also register by submitting the required details along with the acknowledgement or consent of the landowners of the land they cultivate.
Farmers seeking assistance can contact PACS/LAMPCS, ARCS, DRCS, CDAO offices and authorised insurance agents. The Cooperation Department has urged all eligible farmers who are yet to insure their crops to complete the registration process within the extended deadline of August 31.
