The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-Kisan) is a scheme launched by the Government of India in 2019 to ensure the wellbeing and financial stability of farmers across the country. The scheme provides direct income support of Rs. 6000 per annum to eligible farming families in three equal installments of Rs. 2000 each.
The scheme was introduced with an aim to provide additional income support to farmers, enhance their livelihood, and improve their standard of living. Under PM-Kisan, the government is committed to ensuring that all farmers, irrespective of their landholding sizes, get an equal opportunity to benefit from the scheme.
To become a beneficiary of PM-Kisan, farmers have to fulfill certain eligibility criteria. The scheme is applicable to all farmers who own cultivable land and belong to the following categories:
Small and Marginal Farmers:
Farmers who own cultivable land of up to 2 hectares fall under this category. Land ownership can be in multiple pieces, but the total landholding should not exceed 2 hectares.
Eligible State Lists:
The PM-Kisan scheme is applicable in all Indian states and Union Territories except for a few. Some of the states have their databases and mechanisms to identify beneficiaries. Whereas, other states are using land records to identify eligible beneficiaries.
The government has set up a dedicated portal, www.pmkisan.gov.in, where farmers can register themselves for the scheme. Farmers can also approach the local authorities like the Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) or the Common Service Centers (CSCs) for assistance in registration.
Once the farmers are registered, the government conducts a verification process to verify the details provided by the farmers. After successful verification, the income support of Rs. 2000 each is transferred into the farmer’s bank account.
The PM-Kisan scheme has been extremely beneficial for farmers across the country, providing them with much-needed financial support. As of February 2021, the scheme has benefitted over 11 crore farmer families across the country. With the scheme’s continued implementation, it is hoped that more and more farmers will be able to benefit from it, leading to increased agricultural growth and prosperity.