Small and marginal farmer segment who have until now not availed any financing from bank or other financial institution can approach CSCs or Common Service Centres to buy crop insurance.

As per the CEO of CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd, the facility is available only to "non-loanee' farmers. The initiative launched in June shall mean bulk of the premium pay-out towards the policy shall be tendered by the state and central government and only 1.5-3% of the premium has to be paid by the farmer.

The CEO of the company further said "Farmers who do not have access to traditional way of credit and banks will benefit from this scheme. CSCs have rural centres across India and we can reach out to small and marginal farmers easily and premium amount is highly subsidised. The process has been quite simplified through online manner".

The cover of approximately Rs. 1,00,000 for a agricultural season shall be provided as part of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana that was introduced last year. For selling, crop insurance, the government has empanelled as many as 13 companies. But for CSC an exemption has been made and each of the CSC can solicit crop insurance.

"I have great expectation from CSC VLEs (village-level entrepreneurs). Our VLEs are change-makers of India. CSCs have given employment to 10 lakh people in India. I am confident that in the near future, one crore people will work in CSCs," said Ravi Shankar Prasad.

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