Sure, here’s an article on “Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana”:
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana: Overview, Benefits, and Implementation
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN) is a central government scheme launched in February 2019 to provide income support to small and marginal farmers in India. The scheme aims to empower farmers, alleviate their financial distress, and augment their income. Let’s understand the PM-KISAN scheme in detail.
Overview
Under the PM-KISAN scheme, eligible farmers get a direct cash transfer of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal installments of Rs 2,000 each. The scheme covers about 10 crore beneficiaries, who hold cultivable land up to 2 hectares or less, across India. The scheme is effective from December 2018, and the first installment was disbursed in February-March 2019.
Benefits
The PM-KISAN scheme has several benefits for small and marginal farmers. The following are some of the key advantages:
1. Financial support: The scheme provides direct income support in the form of cash transfer to the farmers’ bank accounts. The farmers can use the funds for various agricultural activities, such as purchasing seeds, fertilizers, equipment, paying off debts, etc.
2. Economic stability: The scheme ensures a stable and predictable income for the farmers, which reduces their vulnerability to market fluctuations, crop failure, and natural calamities. The scheme also increases the farmers’ purchasing power, which can boost the rural economy.
3. Inclusive growth: The scheme aims to promote inclusiveness by targeting small and marginal farmers, who constitute the majority of the farming community but often face financial hardships due to low productivity, lack of access to credit and inputs, etc.
4. Ease of implementation: The scheme uses the Aadhaar-based system for identification and verification of beneficiaries, which makes the process of disbursing payments faster and transparent.
Implementation
The PM-KISAN scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare through the State and Union Territory Governments. The State Governments identify the eligible beneficiaries, collect their data, and upload it on the PM-KISAN portal. The Central Government then transfers the funds directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS).
The scheme also has a grievance redressal mechanism, through which the farmers can register their complaints and grievances, and get them resolved in a time-bound manner.
Conclusion
The PM-KISAN scheme is a landmark initiative to improve the lives of small and marginal farmers in India. The scheme addresses the farmers’ financial needs and empowers them to invest in their farms and households. The scheme has already disbursed over Rs 1,13,500 crore to the farmers so far and is expected to boost the agricultural growth and rural development in India. However, there are still some challenges in the scheme’s implementation, such as the exclusion of some deserving farmers, errors in data collection, etc. The Government needs to address these issues and ensure that the benefits of the scheme reach the intended beneficiaries.