Tamil Nadu farmers get relief as Centre eases ID rule for crop insurance

CHENNAI: The BJP-led central government has relaxed the mandatory Farmer ID and Aadhaar-based one-time password (OTP) consent requirements for crop-insurance registration in Tamil Nadu for 2026-27, easing enrolment for tenant farmers and landowners who faced difficulties under the procedure.

The Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department said the relaxations followed representations by the state government, which took up the issue with the Centre after farmers reported problems registering on the National Crop Insurance Portal.

Under the requirements introduced from the 2026-27 Samba season, landowners had to provide a Farmer ID, while tenant cultivators were required to obtain Aadhaar-based OTP consent from landowners. The conditions had created difficulties for landowners in town panchayat and municipal areas, urban fringes and hill regions, as well as tenant farmers cultivating private and temple-owned land.

Acting on the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's instructions, a team of senior Agriculture Department officials met union government representatives and explained the technical difficulties faced by farmers. The State sought exemption from both conditions to enable eligible cultivators to register without such hurdles.

The Centre has granted the requested relaxations for the 2026-27 season, the department said. The relaxations apply only for the 2026-27 season.

Separately, the deadline for insuring paddy crops during the Samba, Thaladi and Pishanam seasons was extended to December 1, 2026, following farmers' requests for more time to enrol.

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Vinoth urged all farmers, including tenant cultivators, to register under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana within the stipulated deadline and avail themselves of the scheme's benefits.