The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY) is a government scheme aimed at providing financial security to farmers. Under this scheme, farmers between the ages of 18 and 40 years who have cultivable land are eligible to enroll. The scheme aims to provide a minimum pension of Rs. 3,000 per month to farmers when they attain the age of 60 years.
To be eligible for the scheme, farmers must satisfy the following criteria:
1. Age: The farmer must be between 18 and 40 years of age at the time of registration.
2. Landholding: The farmer must have cultivable land in his/her name. The criteria for landholding are not specified, and farmers with any amount of land can register.
3. Registration: Farmers must register from their respective Common Service Centres (CSCs) or any digital service that is available for registration.
4. Payment of Contribution: Farmers will have to make monthly contributions towards the scheme. The amount of contribution will vary based on the farmer’s age at the time of registration. For example, a farmer who enrolls at the age of 18 years will have to pay Rs. 55 per month, while a farmer who enrolls at the age of 40 years will have to pay Rs. 200 per month.
5. Beneficiary: Only one person in a family can enroll for the scheme. In case a farmer has different land holdings in different states or districts, then he/she shall be eligible to avail of the benefit of the scheme on the basis of the landholding in any one district only.
The PM-KMY scheme is expected to benefit a large number of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers who do not have access to any social security schemes. The scheme will not only provide financial security to farmers but also encourage them to continue farming as a profession. Overall, this scheme is a good step towards the goal of doubling farmers’ income by 2022.