Chief Secretary chairs SLCCC meeting on Crop Insurance under PMFBY in UT Ladakh.

Chief Secretary chairs SLCCC meeting on Crop Insurance under PMFBY in UT Ladakh.
Leh, June 16, 2026: Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, today chaired a meeting of the State Level Coordination Committee on Crop Insurance (SLCCCI) to review and deliberate on the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) in the Union Territory for the financial year 2026–27.
During the meeting, Secretary, Agriculture and Horticulture, Shri Bhupesh Chaudhary, delivered a detailed presentation outlining the proposed implementation framework of the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme in Ladakh. He explained that RWBCIS is a Government of India initiative designed to provide financial protection to farmers against adverse weather conditions through weather-index-based insurance coverage, unlike conventional crop insurance schemes that are based on yield assessment.
The presentation covered the proposed notified areas, implementation strategy, and term sheets for key horticultural crops, including apricot and apple. For both crops, insurance coverage has been proposed against minimum temperature fluctuations and unseasonal rainfall or snowfall. The Secretary also highlighted the salient features of PMFBY, including its product structure, subsidy pattern, digital and technological interventions, crop coverage, and insurance provisions for annual commercial crops such as potato and peas. Details regarding the proposed action plan for PMFBY during FY 2026–27, expected premium rates, estimated area to be insured, and budgetary implications were also presented.
While reviewing the proposals, Chief Secretary Shri Ashish Kundra held extensive deliberations on various aspects of the scheme, with a particular focus on ensuring maximum benefits for farmers. He emphasized that farmer welfare must remain the central objective of all crop insurance initiatives. Stressing the need for a reliable and verified farmer database, he directed the concerned departments to ensure proper onboarding of eligible farmers on the insurance portal and to strengthen outreach and awareness efforts across each districts of the UT.
The Chief Secretary sought clarity on the proposed number of apricot and apple trees to be covered under the scheme and examined various subsidy-sharing models involving farmers, the UT Administration, and the Government of India. He suggested exploring options under which the UT Administration could bear the premium burden for small orchard owners with up to 20 fruit-bearing trees, thereby minimizing the financial burden on farmers and encouraging greater participation.
Shri Kundra also reviewed premium rates, pay-out mechanisms, weather thresholds, and risk parameters proposed under the term sheets. Referring to crop losses experienced during the previous season due to extreme weather events, he called for a careful examination of historical weather and damage data to ensure that the insurance products are realistic, farmer-friendly, and capable of providing meaningful compensation during adverse conditions. He directed the Agriculture and Horticulture Department to assess whether certain weather thresholds, particularly those relating to rainfall and temperature triggers, require further refinement to adequately address local climatic realities and crop vulnerability patterns in Ladakh.
The meeting also discussed modalities related to farmer contributions, government subsidies, crop-cutting experiments, yield estimation methodologies, and awareness generation campaigns. The Chief Secretary underlined the importance of creating a sense of ownership among farmers through effective dissemination of information, community engagement, and demand-based implementation of crop insurance programmes.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner/Secretary, Shri Shurbir Singh; Secretary, School Education, Ms. Bhanu Prabha; Secretary, Agriculture and Horticulture, Shri Bhupesh Chaudhary; representatives from the Finance Department; Directors of Agriculture and Horticulture; Chief Planning Officer, Leh; Under Secretary, Agriculture and Horticulture; and other concerned officials from various departments.