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Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
Reference
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is an ambitious Central Sector Scheme of the Government of India, aimed at strengthening the economic condition of landholding farmer families in the country and meeting their agricultural requirements.
Current Developments
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 23rd instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme on Saturday from Tarakeswar, West Bengal.
- Under this initiative, an amount of ₹2,000 each will be transferred to over 9.44 crore eligible farmers, with a total of ₹18,880 crore reaching the bank accounts of beneficiaries directly.
- This time, over 2.18 crore women farmers will receive the benefit. Additionally, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed that more than 45.35 lakh farmers in West Bengal will receive ₹907 crore.
- Along with this, the Prime Minister will also launch the 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana' (PMFBY) and the 'Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme'.
Details of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme
This scheme was launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister in February 2019, and it has been effective from 1 December 2018. It is a scheme fully funded by the Central Government.
- Type: A 100% centrally funded Central Sector Scheme.
- Objective: To provide financial assistance to landholding farmer families across India.
- Implementation Agency: The 'Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare' (DA&FW) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, which coordinates with the Agriculture Departments of States/Union Territories.
- Financial Assistance: Under this, an amount of ₹6,000 per year is transferred to the accounts of farmers in three equal instalments (₹2,000 each). These instalments are released in the periods of April-July, August-November, and December-March.
- Eligibility and Verification: The process of identification and verification of beneficiaries is carried out by the respective State Governments and Union Territories.
Key Features
Technical Integration: It is a technology-driven IT solution, which ensures Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS).
- Eligibility and Definition of Family: All landholding farmer families (in whose name agricultural land is held) are eligible for this. Under the scheme, 'family' includes husband, wife, and minor children.
- Note: Certain specific exclusion criteria are also set, which exclude individuals with high economic status from the benefit.
- KCC (Kisan Credit Card) Linkage: The government has linked the PM-KISAN beneficiaries to the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) using their data. This has facilitated the farmers' access to formal credit, simplified the documentation process, and increased the speed of loan processing.
Conclusion
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme is not just a financial assistance program, but a powerful example of technology-driven governance. Through Direct Benefit Transfer and KCC linkage, this scheme is not only providing cash assistance to farmers but also bringing them into the ambit of the formal banking system and institutional credit. It is a foundational pillar for the stability of the rural economy and the modernization of the agricultural sector.