New Delhi, Mar 13: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan praised the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme as a game-changer for India’s farmers, marking a major milestone with nearly Rs 4.9 lakh crore disbursed to date and the 22nd installment today pushing totals beyond Rs 4.04 lakh crore.
Launched in 2019, PM-KISAN delivers Rs 6,000 annually in three equal Rs 2,000 tranches directly into the bank accounts of over 11 crore eligible small and marginal landholding farmers, bypassing middlemen to ensure timely support. Chouhan highlighted how the funds fuel critical investments in seeds, fertilizers, and equipment while covering everyday household needs, injecting vitality into rural economies and stabilizing incomes amid volatile markets and climate uncertainties.
The latest payout, released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reaches beneficiaries across all states and union territories, with real-time portals allowing farmers to check status and e-KYC compliance via OTP. Chouhan noted the scheme’s resilience even during disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic and recent West Asia tensions spiking input costs, crediting digital infrastructure like Aadhaar linkage and DBT for its efficiency.
Over seven years, PM-KISAN has evolved with features like contingency funds for natural disasters and integration with schemes such as crop insurance and soil health cards. Critics have pointed to exclusions for higher-income farmers, but supporters like Chouhan argue it prioritizes the needy while boosting agricultural productivity—key to India’s 7.5% GDP growth forecast. The minister called on states to expedite pending verifications, urging farmers to leverage the scheme alongside other initiatives like PM Fasal Bima Yojana for holistic support. This installment reaffirms the government’s “double-engine” commitment to doubling farm incomes by 2025, positioning rural India as the backbone of Viksit Bharat
