Avika Kavach Yojana in Rajasthan [Sheep Insurance (Bima) Scheme]

Avika Kavach Yojana in Rajasthan [Sheep Insurance(Bima) Scheme] Application Form, Process, Claim Procedure

Central and state governments are launching several insurance schemes and policies for humans. But animals also need insurance, especially livestock or cattle. These animals are not just pets. They are a source of income for their owners. Livestock like sheep offer milk, meat and wool, which fetch significant revenue for the owners. In that case, sheep owners must insure the lives of these animals. Rajasthan government has re-launched a unique scheme, named Avika Kavach Yojana that insures lives of sheep.

Name of the scheme	Avika Kavach Yojana
Launched in	Rajasthan
Launched by	Vasundhara Raje (Chief MIinister)
Original date of launch	2004
Re-Launched in	March 2017
Supervised by	Rajasthan Animal Husbandry Department

Key features of the scheme

1. Development of sheep farmers – Rural sheep farmers are rather poor. They don’t have much at their disposal. Losing one or more sheep means a sizeable dent in their monthly income. With this sheep life insurance, these farmers can be rest assured that they will not incur huge loss.
2. Safeguarding their investments – Market price of any cattle is high. Poor rural cattle owners face lots of hardships to arrange money for purchasing one sheep. If that sheep dies due to any disease, then cattle owner will be in deep trouble. This sheep insurance scheme will protect their investments.
3. 100% insurance – Under this scheme, sheep owners will receive 100% insurance on each sheep.
4. Number of units insured – It has been mentioned in the scheme draft that each farmers will be able to insure as many as ten units of sheep.
5. Strength of each unit – Each unit of sheet must not consist of more than 10 animals. So, overall, each farmer will be able to insure 50 sheep.
6. Premium for insurance – The sheep owner will have to pay a premium for this insurance. If the sheep owner travels with the animals for more than 80 km, then he will have to pay 0.85% more premium. If the owner and sheep have to travel for 25 km, then 1% of total amount insured needs to be paid by the cattleman.
7. Insurance amount in bank account – All financial transactions will be made via respective bank accounts. Thus, all applicants need to possess an active bank account in their name.

Eligibility for application

1. Residential criterion – This insurance policy has been implemented by Rajasthan state government. Thus, only the legal residents of Rajasthan will be able to get the benefits of this project.
2. Financial power – The scheme has been developed for those who belong to Below Poverty Line only.
3. ST and SC candidates – Sheep farmers, belonging to ST and SC group will be able to apply for this insurance policy.
4. Not for already insured sheep – In case the animals have already been insured under any government or private scheme, then those animals will not be considered for this project.
5. Number of animals permitted for insurance – Any applicant can a maximum of 50 sheep under this unique project.

Documents necessary for application

1. Residential proof – As the scheme is sponsored by Rajasthan state government, only those sheep owners will be able to apply for this insurance scheme that have legal residential documents to prove that they are residents of Rajasthan.
2. Health certificate of the sheep – All sheep owners need to submit the animals’ health certificates. Without this document, they will not be able to apply for the insurance scheme.
3. Financial background certificate – All interested applicants will have to submit their BPL card to enroll under this insurance policy.
4. Bamasha Card – Applicants have to submit a copy of his/her Bamasha card as well.
5. Caste certificate – interested candidates have to submit their caste certificate as well, that highlights that they belong to either SC or ST group.
6. Insurance papers – The registration form of sheep insurance policy is also a must.
7. Photo of sheep – Applicant has to submit a photograph of the healthy sheep, with the ear tag.
8. Bank account passbook details – As the insurance amount will be transferred in the bank account of the sheep owner, it is mandatory for applicant to submit the photocopy of the first page of their bank account passbook.

How to apply for the insurance scheme?

1. To apply for this sheep insurance policy, all interested sheep owners have to fill and submit an application form.
2. They can get this form from the nearest office of state Animal Husbandry Department or animal hospital.
3. Once he submits the application form, specified insurance company will appoint an agent.
4. Owner has to get the sheep checked by an animal health care expert. The expert will offer a health certificate that the sheep is in good health.
5. The agent will check the animal, take a photograph and provide an ear tag to identify the insurance number
6. It is the duty of the insurance company to pay for animal’s era tag and photograph.

How to claim the insurance money?

1. It is mandatory for the livestock owners to report the death of the animals. In case the animals die, the owner needs to send the word to respective authority before 6 hours are up. If the death of the animal takes place at night, it must be reported as soon as possible on the next day.
2. Once the death has been reported to the insurance company or state animal husbandry department, the authority needs to appoint an investigator. The investigator needs to check the dead animal within specified six hours.
3. If not investigator is appointed within that time frame, the authority must order a postmortem of the dead animal by a reputed veterinary expert. It can be carried out in state animal hospital as well.
4. It will then be the responsibility of the in charge to click a photograph of the dead sheep with its owner. The ear tag on the sheep must be clearly visible in this photograph.
5. Once all these documentations are complete, insurance policy holder needs to call the insurance company or send an SMS, stating the matter.
6. The sheep owner must keep the insurance policy document or certificate handy.
7. Then the policy holder needs to college a claim form from the insurance company, fill it up with all details and submit it accordingly.
8. Along with this application document, sheep owner needs to submit the death certificate of the sheep, photograph of the dead sheep and the original ear tag at the insurance company.
9. The company will then carry out necessary scrutiny of papers.
10. If everything is in order, then the sheep farmers will receive the insurance amount as soon as possible.

The insurance policy scheme, targeted towards sheep will ultimately offer benefits to cattlemen. State government of Rajasthan is indirectly insuring the income of cattlemen. As rural people earn their livelihood by selling milk and cattle in the market, death of these animals means livestock owners will incur a loss. With this insurance policy, livestock owners can be rest assured that their investment is safe.

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