Bima Yojana - Direct Benefit to Artisan

What is Bima Yojana - Direct Benefit to Artisan?

Bima Yojana - Direct Benefit to Artisan is an insurance component run by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) under the Ministry of Textiles, as part of the National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP). Its purpose is to give registered handicraft artisans a basic financial safety net by enrolling them into the government's two flagship Jan Suraksha insurance schemes: Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY).

Handicraft artisans typically work in the informal sector, without the provident fund, gratuity or employer insurance that formal-sector workers get. A single death or a disabling accident can push an artisan's family into serious hardship. This scheme addresses that gap by using the artisan registration system of the handicrafts office to bring artisans into affordable national insurance cover.

According to information published for the scheme, the two covers work as follows:

• PMJJBY provides Rs 2 lakh life cover for death due to any reason.
• PMSBY provides Rs 2 lakh for accidental death or total disability, and Rs 1 lakh for partial disability.

The premiums are deliberately small — Rs 436 a year for PMJJBY and Rs 20 a year for PMSBY, and the handicrafts component is designed to financially secure artisans, with premium support routed through the National Handicraft Development Programme. The Jan Suraksha portal serves as the national platform for online application, premium payment and a digital certificate of insurance.

Main features

• Enrols registered handicraft artisans into PMJJBY and PMSBY.
• Rs 2 lakh life cover plus Rs 2 lakh accident cover.
• Low annual premiums of Rs 436 (life) and Rs 20 (accident).
• Delivered through the Office of DC (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles.

Who is eligible for Bima Yojana - Direct Benefit to Artisan?

The scheme is meant for artisans already recognised in the handicrafts system, and it follows the age rules of the underlying Jan Suraksha schemes.

You can enrol if:

• You are a registered handicraft artisan with a valid artisan identity (Pehchan) card issued through the Office of DC (Handicrafts).
• You have a savings bank account and consent to auto-debit of the annual premium.
• You are aged 18-50 for the PMJJBY life cover, or 18-70 for the PMSBY accident cover.
• Your Aadhaar is available for enrolment and account linkage.

You cannot enrol if:

• You are not registered as a handicraft artisan with the handicrafts office.
• You are outside the eligible age band for the cover concerned.
• You do not have a bank account, or you do not consent to premium auto-debit.

Cover is not permanent regardless of payment: if the annual premium is not successfully debited on the renewal date, the insurance lapses for that year. Keeping the bank account funded on the auto-debit date is therefore essential.

What documents are required?

How to apply for Bima Yojana - Direct Benefit to Artisan

1. Make sure you are a registered handicraft artisan and hold a valid Pehchan (artisan identity) card from the Office of DC (Handicrafts).
2. Keep your Aadhaar, bank account and nominee details ready, and ensure the bank account is active.
3. Approach your bank branch, a handicraft service centre, or the Jan Suraksha portal (jansuraksha.gov.in) to fill the enrolment-cum-auto-debit consent form for PMJJBY and PMSBY.
4. Give consent for auto-debit of the annual premium (Rs 436 for PMJJBY, Rs 20 for PMSBY) from your account.
5. Collect and keep the certificate of insurance; renew every year by keeping the account funded on the auto-debit date.

How much benefit does the scheme provide?

The combined cover is Rs 2 lakh under PMJJBY for death due to any cause, and Rs 2 lakh under PMSBY for accidental death or total disability, with Rs 1 lakh for partial disability under PMSBY. On a valid claim, the sum is paid to the registered nominee (or to the artisan, in the case of a disability claim).

Because these are annual, renewable covers, the benefit only stays live while the premium is paid each year. The scheme's value lies in giving low-income artisans meaningful family protection for a very small yearly outlay.

Help and grievance redressal

• Jan Suraksha helpline: 1800-180-1111 / 1800-110-001
• Implementing office: Office of DC (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles (handicrafts.gov.in)

Because premium support, exact eligibility and enrolment routes under the handicrafts component are set by the Office of DC (Handicrafts), confirm the current terms with your nearest handicraft service centre or the handicrafts office before enrolling.