The Centre on Friday launched three tech-driven initiatives to help farmers access accurate and timely weather data, assess yield estimates, and avail crop insurance.

The grand launch event was held in New Delhi wherein Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister for Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju launched several new initiatives under PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana) and RWBCIS (Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme), such as YES-Tech Manual, WINDS portal, and door-to-door enrollment app AIDE/Sahayak, marking a turning point in India's crop insurance landscape. 

At the launch ceremony, Narendra Singh Tomar congratulated the department for ensuring that every scheme is accessible to every farmer by using technology.

Crucial weather-related information and data will be available to the farmers through the Weather Information Data System (WINDS), Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju said at the launch event.

''The goal is to bridge the gap in weather information availability and empower decision-makers, farmers, and stakeholders at the grassroots level,'' Rijiju said.

He explained that the WINDS programme places focus on establishing a strong network of weather stations because it is difficult to collect accurate meteorological data from a weak infrastructure.

According to Rijiju, the goal of this programme is to create a substantial network of weather stations at the block and gram panchayat levels. He added that such a calculated strategy will guarantee broad access to reliable and fast weather information. The government also released the Intermediary Enrolment (AIDE) mobile application for crop insurance and the Yield Estimation System (YES-Tech) Manual for yield assessment.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who also attended the launch event, said the YES-TECH Manual is a comprehensive guide developed after extensive testing and piloting in 100 districts of the country.

Tomar went on to elaborate on YES-TECH, stating that the system will provide methodology, best practices, and integrated insights for precise yield evaluations at the Gram Panchayat level.

The AIDE app's introduction on the Android platform aims to revolutionize the enrolment process for crop insurance schemes, bringing it directly to the doorstep of farmers, the minister said. ''This door-to-door enrolment ensures a seamless and transparent process, making crop insurance more accessible and convenient for farmers,'' Tomar added.

Image source: PIB