Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana, implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the National Livestock Mission, helps livestock owners protect their animals against financial loss caused by death due to disease, accidents, or natural calamities. Under the scheme, farmers need to pay only 15% of the insurance premium, while the remaining cost is borne by the Government. Eligible beneficiaries can apply online through the official Pashudhan Bima Portal and insure their tagged animals at highly subsidised rates.
Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana Highlights | |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana |
| Parent Scheme | National Livestock Mission |
| Nodal Department | Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying |
| Objective | Provide financial protection against livestock mortality |
| Premium Paid by Farmer | 15% of the total premium |
| Government Premium Support | 85% of the total premium |
| Coverage Limit | Up to 10 animal units per family (5 units for pigs and rabbits) |
| Eligible Beneficiaries | Livestock owners and farmers across India |
| Covered Animals | Cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, poultry and other eligible livestock |
| Application Mode | Online through Pashudhan Bima Portal |
| Claim Settlement Target | 90% of claims within 21 days |
| Official Portal | rashtriyapashubima.dahd.gov.in |
Introduction of Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana: A Brief Insight
For many rural families, livestock is more than just an asset. It is a regular source of income, nutrition, and financial security. When an insured animal dies due to disease, an accident, or a natural calamity, the loss can place a significant burden on the entire household. To reduce this risk, the Government of India implements Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana under the National Livestock Mission.
The scheme is administered by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Its primary objective is to provide affordable livestock insurance and protect farmers from sudden financial losses arising from animal mortality.
Under this scheme, livestock owners pay only 15% of the insurance premium, while the remaining 85% is borne by the Government. Insurance coverage is available for up to 10 animal units per family, making the scheme accessible to a wide range of livestock farmers across the country.
The recently launched digital insurance platform has further simplified the process. Farmers can now purchase policies online, manage insured animals, and submit claims through a dedicated portal. The system also aims to settle 90% of eligible claims within 21 days, helping beneficiaries receive support quickly when they need it most.
Applications are submitted online through the Pashudhan Bima Portal using an NLM registered mobile number and the animal’s official tag number. Farmers should complete animal tagging and registration before starting the application process. For assistance, they may contact their nearest Government Veterinary Centre.
Livestock owners can also explore the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, which provides direct income support to farmers, and the PM Fasal Bima Yojana, which offers insurance protection against crop losses caused by natural disasters and adverse weather conditions.
Farmers, livestock rearers, and readers looking for more agriculture and rural development initiatives can explore our complete collection of List of Welfare Schemes of Central Government for additional opportunities and benefits.
What’s New: The Launch of the Pashudhan Bima Portal
Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana took a major step towards digital service delivery on 28 September 2026, when Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) launched the Pashudhan Bima Portal in New Delhi. The new platform has been designed to make livestock insurance more transparent, faster, and easier for farmers across the country.
- Provides a single integrated platform for policy issuance, premium payment, claim submission, claim tracking, and real time monitoring
- Available in 13 languages, including Hindi, English, and 11 regional languages, helping farmers access services in their preferred language
- More than 30 lakh animals have already been insured during the current year, highlighting the growing reach of livestock insurance in India
Note: With the introduction of the Pashudhan Bima Portal, farmers no longer need to depend on lengthy manual processes. The digital platform simplifies policy management, reduces paperwork, improves transparency, and helps ensure faster claim settlement directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
Benefits Provided to Eligible Beneficiaries
Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana makes livestock insurance affordable for farmers by providing a substantial premium subsidy. This helps livestock owners protect themselves from financial losses arising from the death of insured animals.
The Core Financial Benefit
- You pay only 15% of the insurance premium, while the government bears the remaining 85%
- The government contribution is shared in a 60:40 ratio between the Centre and State Governments in most states, and 90:10 in North Eastern and Himalayan states
- The gross premium for large animals is generally around 3% of the sum insured, making coverage accessible to a wide range of livestock owners
What Gets Covered Under the Insurance Policy
- Death caused by diseases, including epidemic outbreaks
- Death resulting from accidents
- Death due to natural calamities such as floods, droughts, lightning, cyclones, and other extreme weather events
Which Animals Can Be Insured
- Large animals: Cow, buffalo, bullock, camel, horse, donkey, and mule
- Small animals: Sheep, goat, pig, and rabbit
- Poultry birds: Chicken, duck, turkey, quail, and other eligible poultry birds under the dedicated poultry insurance component
Fast and Digital Claim Settlement
- The scheme aims to settle 90% of eligible claims within 21 days from the date of complete claim submission
- Approved claim amounts are transferred directly to the beneficiary’s bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
A Scheme Delivering Real Support to Livestock Owners
More than 60.8 lakh animals have been insured under the scheme over the last five years. During the same period, claims worth over Rs. 161.07 crore have been settled, helping farmers recover from unexpected livestock losses and safeguard their livelihoods.
Eligibility Conditions Required to be Fulfilled
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has designed Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana to benefit livestock owners across different income groups and farming categories. The eligibility conditions are simple and focus mainly on the ownership, health, and identification of the animal being insured.
- Must be a resident of India
- Open to small farmers, marginal farmers, BPL families, SC/ST beneficiaries, and general category livestock owners
- The animal must be healthy and fit, as certified by a government veterinary officer
- The animal must have a valid ear tag or RFID tag for proper identification and insurance tracking
How Many Animals You Can Insure Under the Scheme
The scheme allows insurance coverage for up to 10 animal units per family. Under the prescribed norms, one unit is equal to one large animal such as a cow or buffalo, or ten small animals such as goats or sheep. This means a family can insure up to 10 large animals, 100 small animals, or a combination of both within the permitted limit.
Important exception: In the case of pigs and rabbits, the maximum coverage is limited to 5 animal units per family, instead of the standard 10 animal units.
Who Won’t Qualify
- Individuals who do not meet the residency requirement
- Owners whose animals do not have a valid health certificate issued by a government veterinary officer
- Animals without proper ear tagging or RFID identification
- Applications exceeding the prescribed animal unit limit under the scheme
Documents Required to be Attached
Applying for Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana requires you to establish both your identity and the proper identification of your insured animal. Since the insurance coverage is linked directly to the tagged animal, accurate documentation plays an important role throughout the policy period.
- Aadhaar Card
- Residence proof
- Bank passbook copy, for premium payment and future claim settlement
- Animal Health Certificate, issued by a government veterinary doctor
- Ear tag details, as the animal must be fitted with a 12 digit ear tag or RFID tag before insurance coverage can be issued
- Passport size photograph
How Beneficiaries Can Apply to Avail the Benefit of the Scheme
Applying for Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana is completely online through the official insurance portal. If you follow each step carefully and keep your animal’s details ready, the application process becomes simple and hassle free.
Step 1: Before starting your application, make sure your animal is tagged and registered under the National Livestock Mission (NLM). The animal’s NLM tag number is compulsory because the insurance policy is issued against this unique identification number.
Step 2: Also ensure that your mobile number is registered under NLM. This mobile number will be used for login, verification, and receiving important updates related to your insurance policy.
Step 3: Visit the official Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Portal.
Step 4: Log in using your NLM registered mobile number. Enter the required details and complete the verification process to access your account.
Step 5: Select the animal you want to insure by entering its NLM tag number. The system will automatically fetch the registered details of your animal from the database.
Step 6: Carefully check the displayed information, including the animal’s category, age, sum insured, and insurance premium. The premium amount is calculated automatically according to the applicable guidelines.
Step 7: Confirm your 15% premium contribution and make the payment online through the portal using UPI, net banking, debit card, credit card, or any other available payment option.
Step 8: After successful payment verification, your digital insurance policy certificate is generated. Keep a copy of this certificate safely, as it contains important information such as the animal’s tag number, policy period, and insured value.
If Your Insured Animal Dies: Claim Process
Step 1: In case the insured animal dies, report the incident immediately through the Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Portal or through the designated support channel within the prescribed time limit.
Step 2: A government veterinary officer will visit and carry out the necessary verification, including post mortem procedures wherever required under the policy guidelines.
Step 3: Upload all required claim documents on the portal, including the death certificate, tag verification details, and any other documents requested during claim processing.
Step 4: Once the claim is approved, the insurance amount is transferred directly to your bank account through DBT. You can also track the status of your claim online through the portal at every stage.
Important: Both your NLM registered mobile number and your animal’s NLM tag number are mandatory throughout the application and claim process. If your animal has not yet been tagged or registered, visit your nearest Government Veterinary Centre and complete the registration process before applying for Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana.
Important Links Available of the Scheme
- Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Portal Official Online Application Portal
- Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Official Website
Contact Details in Case of Help Needed
- Nodal Department: Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
- Local Level: Contact your nearest Government Veterinary Centre, or your State Animal Husbandry Department
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Ans. Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Yojana is a livestock insurance scheme implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the National Livestock Mission. It provides insurance coverage against the death of insured animals and helps farmers reduce financial losses.
Ans. Beneficiaries need to pay only 15% of the insurance premium, while the remaining 85% is borne by the Central and State Governments.
Ans. A family can insure up to 10 animal units. One unit is equal to one large animal or ten small animals. For pigs and rabbits, the maximum limit is 5 animal units per family.
Ans. Yes. Every animal must have a valid NLM ear tag or RFID tag. Insurance coverage cannot be issued without proper animal identification.
Ans. You can apply online through the Rashtriya Pashudhan Bima Portal using your NLM registered mobile number and the animal’s tag number.
Ans. The policy covers the death of insured animals due to diseases, accidents, epidemics, floods, droughts, lightning, and other eligible natural calamities.
Ans. Eligible animals include cows, buffaloes, bullocks, camels, horses, donkeys, mules, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, and eligible poultry birds under the poultry insurance component.
Ans. The scheme aims to settle 90% of eligible claims within 21 days after the complete claim documents are submitted and verified.
Ans. Approved claim amounts are transferred directly to the beneficiary’s bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Ans. The ear tag serves as the animal’s official identification under the insurance policy. If the tag cannot be verified during claim processing, the claim may face rejection or additional scrutiny as per the applicable guidelines.
Ans. You can contact your nearest Government Veterinary Centre, District Animal Husbandry Office, or the concerned State Animal Husbandry Department for assistance related to registration, insurance, and claim settlement.
Tabassum is a government schemes researcher and writer with 5 years of experience tracking Central and State welfare scheme programmes across India. She has covered 500+ schemes spanning agriculture, women welfare, education, and housing, helping lakhs of beneficiaries understand their entitlements in simple language.