As part of the government’s initiative to help farmers in India, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-Kisan) was launched in 2019. The scheme aimed to provide financial assistance to farmers across the country by depositing an amount of Rs. 6,000 per year in their bank accounts. However, the scheme has been facing several problems, which have prevented the benefits from reaching the intended beneficiaries.
One of the significant issues with the PM-Kisan scheme is the exclusion of many eligible farmers. The scheme initially had the condition that only those farmers who own less than two hectares of land are eligible for the financial assistance. This condition has resulted in several farmers, especially in the states of Punjab and Haryana, being left out of the scheme. The government’s decision to fix the landownership criteria has led to protests from farmers in these states, who have demanded the scheme’s extension to all farmers irrespective of their land ownership.
Another obstacle in the success of the PM-Kisan scheme is the delay in the verification process. The scheme requires the farmers to submit various documents, including Aadhaar, land ownership, and bank account details, for verification. Due to the slow pace of the verification process and the lack of proper infrastructure, many farmers have not received the benefit amount even after several months of application.
Furthermore, the scheme’s implementation is not uniform across the states, leading to unequal distribution of benefits. Some states have excellent infrastructure and a well-functioning verification process, allowing farmers to receive the benefit amount in time. However, other states lack the necessary infrastructure, leading to delays in the verification and disbursement process and, in some cases, exclusion of eligible farmers.
In conclusion, the PM-Kisan scheme’s objective is noble, supporting farmers, who are the backbone of the Indian economy. Nevertheless, the scheme’s implementation has faced multiple challenges, such as exclusion of eligible farmers and delays in verification and disbursement process, that need to be addressed. The government must effectively address these issues to ensure that the scheme’s benefits reach all the intended beneficiaries and achieve its objective of providing financial assistance to farmers.