With the southwest monsoon playing hide and seek, the agriculture department in coastal districts has strongly urged paddy growers to subscribe to Karnataka Raitha Suraksha Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana through which they can get some relief in the event of crop failure.

Subscription to the scheme has already commenced with Indus Ind General Insurance Compay Ltd., (formerly Reliance General Insurance) being appointed to implement the scheme in Dakshina Kannada district. The last date for registration is August 14, 2026.

Dakshina Kannada Joint Director of Agriculture Honnappa Gowda told The Hindu that a farmer would pay ₹611.91 (2% of the sum insured, that is ₹30,595.32) per acre as his or her contribution towards the premium. Eligible farmers can pay the insurance premium amount in large numbers at the nearest banks by the specified date.

Under the scheme, if sowing fails in more than 75% of the area notified in the monsoon season due to any natural calamity/weather condition, if more than 50% of the crop is lost between sowing and harvesting, if the crop is left to dry after harvesting and the harvested crop is destroyed due to untimely rain/storm-related rain within two weeks, the loss caused by location-specific natural calamities such as landslides, crop submersion, hailstorms would be determined by the insurance company and compensation would be paid as per the guidelines of the Scheme.

Mr. Gowda said in case sowing fails because of no rains in 75% of the lands in a notified area that is a gram panchayat, they would get 50% of the sum insured straightaway. The registration for the scheme can be done at the nearest Grama One, Karnataka One, Hobli Raitha Samparka Kendra or bank branches.

The department has set a target of 10,000 hectares of paddy sowing in Dakshina Kannada district of which only 70 ha has seen sowing. As against the requirement of 830 quintals of seeds, 750 quintals is available while 540 quintals is already distributed. Similarly, there is no shortage of fertilisers either with 15,000 tonnes of different varieties in stock, the JD said.

The target for paddy sowing in Udupi district has been fixed at 36,000 ha.