The central government has introduced a weather-based insurance scheme targeting select plantation crops, including tea, with coverage extended to tea-growing regions in West Bengal, Assam, and Kerala.

As climate variability intensifies, the Government of India has expanded the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) in 2025 to cover key plantation crops such as tea, coffee, coconut, and rubber, offering a crucial financial safety net to thousands of small and marginal growers across the country.

Unlike traditional crop insurance, RWBCIS uses weather parameters like rainfall, temperature, or humidity to determine payouts, enabling faster and more objective claim settlements. This approach is particularly significant in regions like Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, and Karnataka, where plantation crops face growing threats from unseasonal rain, floods, and droughts.

For example, tea growers in Assam — often affected by excessive rainfall — now benefit from timely insurance support that helps stabilize incomes and avoid distress sales. Similarly, coffee growers in Karnataka and coconut farmers in Kerala are now protected against extreme weather fluctuations, which are becoming increasingly frequent in 2025.

“Tea growers have long faced erratic weather with no structured insurance support,” said Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty, President of the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Associations (CISTA). “RWBCIS finally offers them a meaningful safety net.”

The scheme is backed by a multi-stakeholder ecosystem, including the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), state agriculture departments, commodity boards, the Coconut Development Board, private insurers, and farmer organizations. Weather data from IMD is used to ensure transparent and scientifically sound claim decisions, strengthening both accountability and farmer trust.

The government has urged states to fast-track the tendering process for private insurers by June 20 to ensure coverage begins from the current Kharif season. Leading companies like HDFC Ergo and ICICI Lombard are expected to participate, bringing technology, efficiency, and outreach capacity into the rural insurance ecosystem.

Beyond risk mitigation, RWBCIS is helping align India’s agricultural strategy with its climate resilience and green growth goals. The scheme is part of a broader push toward climate-smart farming, including the promotion of organic practices, efficient irrigation, and weather-integrated advisory systems.

For small growers—especially in hilly, rain-dependent regions—RWBCIS is more than just insurance; it’s a pathway to financial inclusion, investment security, and psychological relief amid the uncertainties of climate change.