'Sarathi Portal' Launched by Agriculture Minister to Provide Crop Insurance Solutions for Farmers

Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda unveiled the 'Sarathi' portal on Thursday, designed to offer a comprehensive array of insurance products, specifically created for the benefit of farmers and rural communities across India. "Sarathi," aptly named for its role as a guiding force, stands for Sandbox for Agricultural and Rural Security, Technology, and Insurance.

As a key component of this initiative, Minister Munda also introduced the Krishi Rakshak portal and a dedicated helpline number (14447) aimed at expediting the resolution of grievances related to the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

Additionally, the launch included a learning material system focusing on PMFBY, Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MIIS), and Kisan Credit Card (KCC), catering to stakeholders involved in the implementation of these vital schemes nationwide.

The event witnessed the presence of Ministers of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary and Sobha Karanladje, Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja, and Joint Secretary and CEO of PMFBY Ritesh Chauhan.

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PMFBY CEO Ritesh Chauhan explained that it is designed to streamline the insurance journey for farmers, offering a digitized platform for viewing, purchasing, and availing insurance products. The portal will feature digital payment options, simplified premium collection, easy claim initiation, tracking, and resolution, along with user-friendly interfaces for all stakeholders.

Speaking at the launch event, Minister Munda emphasized the government's commitment to transforming India into a developed nation (Viksit Bharat). He highlighted the crucial role of digital technology in achieving this goal and expressed confidence that these initiatives will significantly benefit the farming community.

This portal will introduce a range of insurance products in a phased manner, starting with personal accident and hospital cash policies. Subsequent phases will see the addition of health, shop, and home insurance followed by tractor, two-wheeler, livestock, and non-PMFBY insurance products.

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Recognizing the importance of addressing farmer grievances, the Minister also highlighted upon Krishi Rakshak Portal and Helpline. This initiative acts as a bridge between farmers and insurance companies, bankers, Common Service Centres (CSCs), and government agencies. Farmers can register their complaints on the portal or through the helpline, and these concerns will be forwarded to insurance companies for swift resolution, with the Centre acting as a mediator to ensure farmers' grievances are addressed satisfactorily.

With an impressive base of over 5.5 lakh users of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and PMFBY portals, the Learning Material System launched by the Agriculture Ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, aims to provide knowledge enhancement and coordination among stakeholders involved in these crucial schemes. This initiative is also expected to contribute significantly to the skill development and capacity-building of the agricultural community.

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