Mukhyamantri Mangla Pashu Bima Yojana: In a landmark move to safeguard Rajasthan’s rural economy, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the Mukhyamantri Mangla Pashu Bima Yojana (MMPBY) in the 2024 state budget. With a staggering ₹400 crore allocation, this scheme aims to provide ₹5 lakh insurance coverage per animal to protect livestock owners from financial losses due to disease, accidents, or natural calamities. Here’s your guide to understanding Rajasthan’s most ambitious animal welfare initiative.
Keeping in mind the interests of the livestock farmers of the state, in order to provide financial security/economic strengthening to the livestock farmers by insuring their valuable livestock, as per the budget announcement (point number-132) “Mukhyamantri Mangala Pashu Bima Yojana” made by the State Government in the financial year 2024-25, it is proposed to provide insurance coverage by insuring 5-5 lakh milch cows/buffaloes, 5-5 lakh sheep/goats and 1 lakh camel breed animals (camels) in the state. An expenditure of Rs 400 crore will be incurred in this scheme.
Key Features of the Scheme
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Insurance Coverage | ₹5 lakh per animal (cows, buffaloes, camels, goats, sheep). |
| Target Beneficiaries | 21 lakh animals across Rajasthan. |
| Eligible Breeds | Indigenous dairy cattle (e.g., Gir, Sahiwal) prioritized. |
| Exclusions | Deaths due to poisoning or negligence not covered. |
| Budget Allocation | ₹400 crore earmarked for 2024–25. |
Why This Scheme Matters
Rajasthan, home to over 13% of India’s livestock, relies heavily on cattle for dairy, agriculture, and transportation. However, frequent droughts and diseases often leave farmers vulnerable. The MMPBY bridges this gap by:
- Offering free insurance premiums for the first year.
- Ensuring quick claim settlements via direct bank transfers.
- Promoting preventive healthcare through mandatory veterinary check-ups.
Who is Eligible?
- Residency: Only permanent residents of Rajasthan.
- Livestock: Healthy, disease-free indigenous breeds (cross-breeds excluded).
- Documentation: Aadhaar-linked bank account, animal ownership proof, and vaccination records.
- All Janadhaar card holder cattlemen of Rajasthan state will be eligible to avail the benefits under the scheme and these cattlemen will apply for the benefits of the scheme on the website provided by the Insurance Department and the animals of the cattlemen selected through lottery will be insured free of cost.
- Under the scheme, all Gopal credit card holder cattlemen of the state, all Lakhpati Didi cattlemen will be benefited on first priority.
- Under the scheme, the cattlemen will be able to register only the tagged animals for insurance. The cattlemen whose animals are not tagged will be able to get registered only after their animals are tagged.
- A maximum of 02 milch cows/02 milch buffaloes/01 milch cow and 01 milch buffalo/10 goats/10 sheep/01 camel breed animal of Gopal credit card holder cattlemen of the state, all Lakhpati Didi cattlemen and Janadhaar card holder cattlemen selected through lottery will be insured free of cost. Under this scheme, only those animals will be insured which have not been insured under any other animal insurance scheme.
- Under the “Mukhyamantri Mangala Animal Insurance Scheme”, it is proposed to insure the cattle rearers’ indigenous/hybrid milk-giving animals such as cow and buffalo, draught animals- camel/female camel and other small ruminant animals such as goat and sheep for “one year” free of cost.
- As per the budget announcement, initially 21 lakh animals are to be insured. 10 animals will be considered in one cattle unit of sheep and goat and 01 animal will be considered in one cattle unit in the case of milch cow/buffalo and camel. If any cattle rearer has less than 10 sheep/goats, then in such a situation, the eligibility of the number of animals in a cattle unit can be reduced and the sheep/goat available with the cattle rearer can be insured. Insurance targets have been set for districts on the basis/proportion of their number of animals so that the livestock farmers of the entire state can get benefits under the proportional system. In case the target allotted to a district is not met under any circumstances, it is proposed to review it every quarter and allocate it to other districts. In the district-wise targets set, 16 percent and 12 percent insurance targets will be reserved for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe livestock farmers respectively. If there are no Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe livestock farmers, livestock farmers of other categories will be benefited.
- The price of the animal will be evaluated on the basis of the animal’s health, milk production capacity, age, lactation and breed etc. as per the prevailing market price by mutual consent by the veterinary doctor, livestock farmer and insurance representative. However, the maximum price of 1 cattle unit animal for insurance will be Rs. 40,000/- only.
How to Apply
- Online Portal: Visit the Rajasthan Animal Husbandry Department website and fill out the MMPBY application form.
- Offline Centers: Visit designated Gram Panchayat or veterinary offices for assistance.
- Verification: A government-appointed veterinarian will inspect the animal’s health.
- Policy Issuance: Receive insurance documents via SMS/email within 15 days.
Pro Tip: Double-check your animal’s vaccination records! Claims are rejected if mandatory vaccines (like foot-and-mouth disease) are overdue.
The Bigger Picture
This scheme aligns with Rajasthan’s push to boost milk production (currently 28 million tonnes annually) and curb rural migration. As Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria stated, “Healthy livestock mean empowered farmers. MMPBY is a step toward doubling farmers’ incomes by 2030.”
Challenges Ahead
While promising, the MMPBY faces hurdles like:
Fraud Risks: Fake ownership claims could strain resources.
The government plans 3,000 rural awareness camps and blockchain-based tracking to address these issues.
Awareness Gaps: Many smallholders in remote Barmer or Jaisalmer lack internet access.
