Since 2019, the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana has provided direct income support to small and marginal farmers with no interruptions. The Government of India has reaffirmed its commitment to the livelihood of farmers by announcing the release of the 20th instalment of PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi from Varanasi on 2 August 2025. This transfer will provide additional liquidity for farming households at the start of important crop cycles, along with digital transparency and inclusion by way of eKYC and fraud messaging.
Overview
To quickly understand some of the important aspects of the 20th instalment of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme, here is a one-stop snapshot of the most recent roll-out and aspects of the scheme.
| Component | Details |
|---|
| Instalment Number | 20th instalment |
| Release Date | 2 August 2025 |
| Amount per Farmer per Year | ₹6,000 (distributed in three instalments of ₹2,000 each) |
| Total Disbursed This Round | Approx. ₹20,500 crore to ~9.7 crore farmers |
| Cumulative Outlay So Far | Over ₹3.69 lakh crore across 19 instalments (till previous round) |
| Primary Location of Release | Banauli, Sewapuri, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh |
| Key Requirement | Valid beneficiary status, updated eKYC, linked bank account |
| Verification Modes | OTP-based, biometric, face-authentication |
| Target Group | Small and marginal farmers with a valid Aadhaar and bank linkage |
What Is The PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme?
The PM-Kisan programme provides income support to small and marginal farmers across the Indian states and Union territories. Each eligible farmer receives an amount of ₹6,000 per annum in three equal instalments directly from the Prime Minister's office (PMO) into their bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) on behalf of the Government of India. The programme is meant to provide supplemental income to help farmers afford inputs and other costs related to the cultivation of agricultural products, and ultimately to abolish confusion and provide stability.
Details About The 20th Instalment
The 20th instalment is a very important cash transfer that is being delivered before the peak needs of the Kharif season. The central government put ₹20,500 crore into 9.7 million bank accounts for a total of 9.7 crore farmers, as of 2 August 2025. Uttar Pradesh, with approx. 2.3 crore beneficiaries, reflecting its historical agricultural base and that more than 1 out of 4 farmers in India are small farmers. The delivery event featured local outreach by Krishi Vigyan Kendras, farmer interface sessions, and monitoring and real-time updates to encourage maximum turnover and awareness.
Eligibility Criteria
Qualifying Conditions for PM-Kisan stipulate registration and regular verification. The primary conditions for eligibility are:
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The farmer is registered as a beneficiary in the PM-Kisan Portal.
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The farmer has cultivated agricultural land by the government's definition of "small and marginal" categories of ownership.
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The farmer has completed the linking and verification of their Aadhaar number.
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The farmer has an active DBT-eligible bank account.
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The farmer has completed e-KYC if required (i.e, pending e-KYC can withhold or delay instalments).
Exclusions apply to higher income tax brackets, individuals who are government employees, and institutional land-owners (see official guidelines for specifics).
Also Read: PM Surya Ghar Yojana: A Bright Sword
How To Check Your Beneficiary Status
Farmers must confirm their inclusion and status before assuming payment failure. The steps to verify whether payment is in process of payment are simple, but must be executed properly to avoid confusion.
Steps to check if you are in line to receive the 20th instalment.
- Go to the PM-Kisan website.
- Click on “Beneficiary Status”.
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Input your Aadhaar number, bank account number, or mobile number that was registered.
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Click “Get Data”.
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Check the information shown, including the most recent instalment credit status, and check for any requirements pending completion. Determining the missing link before your installation arrives helps avoid delays in the future.
eKYC Process
EKYC verification avoids duplication or fraud, i.e. ensures that it is the correct individual who is receiving the transfer. Three methods are in place; they differ in flow and compatibility in terms of the availability of local access and devices.
The government has given various options for completing eKYC to suit different farmers with varying levels of digital readiness:
OTP-Based eKYC
EKYC of farmers can be done over the Internet:
Step 1: Log in to the PM-Kisan portal and choose the eKYC option.
Step 2: Fill in your Aadhaar number.
Step 3: OTP is sent to the registered mobile number.
Step 4: Enter the OTP to do the verification instantly.
Biometric eKYC
This can be found at Common Service Centres (CSCs) in the state seva kendras or in nominated help centres:
Step 1: You need to go to a CSC or an authorised centre with your Aadhaar.
Step 2: Offer fingerprint authentication under the Aadhaar authentication.
Step 3: Identification is verified, and eKYC status is updated in the background on the system.
Face-Authentication eKYC
Made to be used by mobile-savvy users and to decrease the reliance on physical centres:
Step 1: Aadhaar Face RD app and PM-Kisan mobile app should be downloaded from the App Store.
Step 2: Log in with the registered mobile number.
Step 3: Aadhaar face scan, when prompted, gets compared to the biometric in the Aadhaar database.
Step 4: The eKYC is updated with successful authentication.
Any pending eKYC completed early will cause the 20th instalment not to be delayed on account of verification gaps.
Also Read: Agriculture Budget 2025
Common Problems And Troubleshooting
Even with a well-functioning system, some beneficiaries experience problems - having the knowledge to deal with these issues will help prevent loss of funds or delays. Farmers encounter the following bottlenecks fairly typically:
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Name missing from beneficiary list: Update land record, update Aadhaar Linkage, update bank details via Farmer Corner.
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Pending eKYC: Farmer can use any of the three available methods; biometric and face-authentication methods are doable when the OTP is impossible.
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Bank account incorrectly linked: The farmer should double-check and adjust the bank details on the portal. The farmer should also ensure that his/her account is active and not frozen.
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Fraudulent messages or Phishing: The source of legitimate communication does not ask for Aadhaar OTP or bank PIN, so ignore suspicious SMS with a WhatsApp link.
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Delayed credit despite eligibility: The farmer should re-check status with Farmer-Information-Management-Portal, and pending documentation, or call helpline numbers published on the portal.
Awareness and proactive correction help the flow of benefits and ensure they do not stop.
Historical Context & Cumulative Disbursement
In 2019, the PM-Kisan movement began as a unique initiative in India to provide income support to farmers without restrictions. Before the 20th payment, the Government of India paid approximately ₹3.69 lakh crore in 19 instalments. The scheme's coverage expanded gradually, with the method being robust enough to link with millions of farm families and convert the process into digital verification, which was one way of successfully curtailing the chances of leakage.
Fraud Prevention Advisory
With large-scale fund transfers comes an increase in misinformation and impersonation attempts. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has issued advisories warning beneficiaries of:
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Not to share OTPs or Aadhaar details with anyone claiming to "speed up" instalments.
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Do not click on any unknown URLs in an SMS or social media messaging system that states they are revealing "pending benefits".
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Under no circumstances should they pay any fee to correct their status. PM-Kisan status updates are free.
Farmers should check for updates exclusively in the official portal or only through legitimate CSCs.
Socio-Economic Impacts
The regular income flow from PM-Kisan in rural areas continually stabilises cash flows, especially during land preparation and planting, or when purchasing inputs for land preparation. The program enables farmers to avoid informal sources of credit, increasing food security in timely plantings, and gives an element of stability in rural demand by allowing farmers to mobilise demand in other markets. The honesty afforded through DBT and its digital verification has added comfort and trust in different aspects of government support directed at individuals, rather than through intermediaries, and the wide geographical dispersal helps alleviate the pressures of regionally based agrarian distress.
Conclusion
The 20th instalment of PM-Kisan is not simply a payment- it is a lifeline to millions of farmers amid production costs, climate variability, and market challenges. Keeping the eKYC up to date, the right beneficiary information and ensuring that beneficiaries are aware of and are able to take advantage of fraud alerts are the key components to making the program work for the right beneficiaries. Continuing outreach and digital literacy would further enable the depth of this flagship income support program.
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