There are many sectors and professions in a vast country like India and one of those sectors is agriculture. Agriculture is one of the most crucial aspects of a country’s economy and farmers are the backbone who consistently work on producing quality crops. It would be difficult to even imagine a normal and healthy life without the agriculture sector. Every country in the world needs to support the agriculture sector to ensure the holistic growth and development of the country as a whole.

However, most of the farmers, especially small farmers (who cultivate on a small piece of land), face a range of difficulties despite playing such a crucial role in the economy of the country. Issues such as changes in market prices, unpredictable weather, rising costs of raw materials and machinery, and insufficient access to facilities of loan are just some to name. These issues make it difficult for the farmers to survive in the agriculture sector and lead a normal and healthy life.

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To tackle all such issues, the government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana also known as the PM-Kisan in 2019. PM Kisan Yojana aims to provide monetary support to farmers so that they can run their households and lead a fulfilling life without any financial burden. PM-Kisan’s primary aim is to reduce the financial burden on the shoulders of the farmers, promote agriculture investments, and help make the agricultural sector stable, especially for the farmers without whom the sector would cease to exist.

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What Is The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana?

The PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana is a govt scheme launched by the Indian government in February 2019 to provide direct monetary aid to the small and marginal farmers of the country. Kisan Yojana’s primary aim is to offer a financial helping hand to the farmers so that they cover their household expenses, agricultural investments, or any other related expenses from a fixed sum of money provided by the government.

In the initial stages of the PM Kisan Samman, it was limited to small and marginal farmers with land areas of up to 2 hectares. But in 2019, the government expanded the scope of the govt scheme as it now covers all the farmers irrespective of the area of the land they own.

This inclusion was a commendable step taken toward making the agriculture sector booming and safe for every farmer and those young people interested in the magnificent sector of agriculture. Kisan Yojana is currently benefiting at least 14 crore farmers from various corners of the country.

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Objectives Of The PM-Kisan Samman Yojana

The PM Kisan Nidhi was ideated and launched to provide numerous benefits to the farmers so that they grow and develop both themselves and the agriculture sector of India. The Sarkari Yojana has numerous key objectives such as:

• A fixed income: The primary objective of this govt scheme is to provide a direct and fixed annual income of Rs. 6000 to the farmers, especially small and marginal farmers. This helps them maintain their household or other personal expenses and empowers them financially. This also helps them in not taking unnecessary loans and falling into the deep traps of debt.

• Agricultural investment: The Sarkari Yojana encourages farmers to make agricultural investments such as purchasing quality seeds or fertilisers, irrigation techniques, and others. This would help in enhancing the quality of crop yields, maintaining soil health, and improving the overall outcome of the land.

• Reducing farmer suicides: In the year 2023, the state of Maharashtra alone recorded over 2000 farmer suicides. The PM Kisan Nidhi aims to lower the rates of suicides committed by farmers due to poor yields, crop failure, or the most complex of all, rising debt. As the scheme offers a fixed annual income, it aims to protect the farmers' lives in any way possible.

• Financial Inclusion: Under the Sarkari Yojana, the funds are deposited directly into the farmers’ bank accounts. This encourages farmers to open a bank account and be a part of the formal and organised financial system. Financial inclusion would also help them in accessing and reaping the benefits of other such government schemes.

• Broader goals: The scheme aims to double the incomes of the farmers to increase their productivity and enhance their quality of life.

• Sustainable farming practices: PM Kisan Nidhi also promotes sustainable farming practices such as organic farming, yielding a variety of crops, and mindful water usage.

What Are The Features Of The PM Kisan Samman Nidhi?

The key significant features of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan are:

Name of the Sarkari Yojana	Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana (PM-Kisan)
Implementing Year	2019
The ministry that manages the scheme	Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
Official Website	https://pmkisan.gov.in/

• Financial support: PM-Kisan provides financial support to the farmers by guaranteeing an annual amount of Rs. 6000 released in three instalments of Rs. 2000. Each instalment is deposited in the bank accounts of the farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) every four months.

• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): Under Pradhan Mantri Kisan, as the instalments are deposited directly into the bank accounts of the farmers, the chances of leakages or cheating practices are reduced. It also ensures transparency between the management systems of the government and the farmers.

• Role of State and Union Territories (UTs): It is the responsibility of the state and Union Territory (UT) governments to identify and verify the eligible farmers and submit their information to the central government. This is done to ensure that no fraud avails the benefits of the scheme.

• Coverage: PM-Kisan covers every farmer farming within the borders of the country.

• Digitisation: The scheme works through an online portal as well to increase convenience for the farmers. There is a dedicated Grievance Redressal system for them as well so that they can lodge complaints without having to visit government offices.

• Regular checks: Regular checks and monitoring are carried out to check whether the Pradhan Mantri Kisan is being implemented properly and to identify and rule out any malpractices if any.

What Are The Benefits Of The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi?

The PM Nidhi Yojana comes with numerous benefits to ensure and promote the welfare of the farmers. Some of its key benefits are:

• Reduces financial stress: One of the primary PM Kisan benefits includes reducing the financial stress of the farmers by providing a direct and promised annual income. It helps them deal with the uncertainties of life and survive without difficulties.

• Inclusion: Compared to before when the scheme could only be availed by small and marginal farmers, the scheme went through changes and amendments and now provides an umbrella of security to all the farmers irrespective of the size of the land they own.

• Boosting rural India: PM Kisan Samman aims to empower the farmers by increasing their purchasing power, especially those from rural India. This enables the farmers to invest in quality seeds, fertilisers, machinery, and other expenses. This stimulates the growth of rural India as well.

• Support in crises: PM Nidhi Yojana has a special provision of financially assisting the farmers in the event of unforeseen crises such as natural calamities or COVID-19. This helps in providing immediate relief to farmers in such critical times so that they can maintain their livelihoods despite the challenges.

Eligibility Criteria Of The PM-Kisan Yojana

The eligibility criteria for the Narendra Modi Yojana are mentioned below:

• All farmers who own fertile land (land on which they do farming) are eligible for the Kisan Yojana.

• A farmer is defined as a husband, wife, or minor child under this Sarkari Yojana.

Who Are Excluded From the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi?

Categories of individuals who are excluded from the Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana are:

• Institutional landholders

• Those farmers or any of the members of their family are excluded if they come under the following categories:

• Government employees

• Retired officers from government offices

• Employees of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and autonomous institutions

• Professionals like doctors, engineers, lawyers, and Chartered Accountants (CA)

• People who pay tax on their incomes

Required Documents For The PM-Kisan Yojana

Certain documents are required to be submitted by the farmers under this govt. scheme such as:

• Aadhaar card

• Landholding documents like proof of land ownership

• Bank account details

• Mobile number

• Passport-sized photograph

New Farmer Registration Process

To register as a new farmer under the PM-Kisan, one needs to follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Visit the official portal of PM-Kisan and click on the ‘New farmer registration’ option.

2. Enter the Aadhar number present on the aadhar card.

3. Fill in the required details like your age, gender, name, bank account information, landholding information, etc.

4. Click on ‘apply’ which would generate an application number for tracking the Sarkari Yojana.

How To Check The Status Of the Application?

To check PM-Kisan status, one needs to:

1. Visit the official website and click on ‘Know Your Status’.

2. Fill in the application number.

3. Check the status of your application.

When Is The 18th Instalment Release Date?

The 18th instalment of the PM-Kisan is expected to be released in November 2024. The exact date hasn’t been announced yet by the government. The instalment will provide Rs. 2000 to the farmers’ bank accounts directly.

Name of the govt. scheme	Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana (PM-Kisan)
Instalment number	18th Instalment
Date of release	Not yet announced
Amount given	Rs. 2000
The total amount is given annually	Rs. 6000
Mode of payment	Direct Bank Transfer
How to check the status?	Visit the official website or application of PM-Kisan
Official website	https://pmkisan.gov.in/

How To Check The Beneficiary List?

To check the beneficiary status of the PM-Kisan, please follow the following steps:

1. Visit the official website of the PM-Kisan and click on the ‘Beneficiary list’ option.

2. Fill in the required details like state, district, sub-district, block, and village.

3. Click on ‘generate report’ to see the beneficiary list.

How To Complete e-KYC Of The PM-Kisan Yojana?

To complete the e-KYC of one’s respective account, please follow the following steps:

1. Visit the official website and navigate to the ‘e-kyc’ section.

2. Fill in your aadhar number which will send a One-time Password (OTP) to the linked registered phone number.

3. Submit the OTP to complete the e-KYC.

Impact Of The Scheme

The PM-Kisan has had significant impacts on India’s agricultural sector and rural economy.

• Direct monetary aid: The govt. scheme provides a fixed annual amount to the farmers deposited directly into their bank accounts. According to various reports, a minimum of 9.26 crore farmers have reaped the benefits of this monetary aid.

• A boon for small and marginal farmers: The PM-Kisan scheme reduces financial burden from the shoulders of all farmers but this feature is especially useful for small and marginal farmers. Many small and marginal farmers rely completely on the yields of the crops and end up facing difficulties. This feature protects them against all odds.

• Less rural distress: Farmers and their families are subjected to various agricultural uncertainties such as unpredictable weather conditions, fluctuating demands in the market, rising prices, and others. With the help of this govt. scheme, rural distress is reduced by reducing people’s dependence on informal credit channels like local moneylenders to stop them from falling into the complex maze of debt.

• Agricultural investments: The PM-Kisan scheme empowers farmers to be able to access and invest in new-age land and farming techniques. The funds given under the scheme may not be that large but it helps farmers with their immediate needs so that they don’t have to worry about money for necessities.

Also read: How India Is Pushing Forward For a Greener Future With National Mission On Natural Farming!

Challenges Of The Scheme

The government scheme has numerous benefits but it still faces a range of challenges such as:

• Less awareness: Many farmers, especially those from remote areas of the country aren’t aware of the scheme. This is one of the biggest hindrances faced by the government of India.

• Digital illiteracy: Due to digital illiteracy or limited digital knowledge, many farmers take the help of intermediaries to register under the government scheme who sometimes take advantage by charging fees or giving wrong information.

• Delay in fund transfer: At times, funds are often delayed due to bureaucratic obstacles which means farmers don’t receive their funds on time which reduces the effectiveness of the scheme and poses difficulties in the farmers’ lives.

• Verification: Many times, it has been recorded that excluded people are also reaping the benefits of the government scheme. Ineffective verification of applicants can lead to such cheating practices by people who aren’t ineligible for the scheme.

Scams Related To The Scheme

Several scams have been reported under the Kisan Yojana such as:

• Fake helpline and OTP scams: Scammers have been setting up fake helpline numbers and posing as government officials of the PM-Kisan scheme thereby fooling farmers into giving sensitive information or One Time Password (OTPs).

• Registration fraud: Sometimes, fraudsters call people to share their aadhaar card numbers to register under the govt. scheme for personal gains.

• Fake websites: Scammers have been creating fake websites of Kisan Yojana to mislead farmers and have them fill in their details like bank information and ask for registration fees even though the registration is free. Ensure that you’re logging in to the official website which ends in gov.in.

• Fake SMS: Scammers send fake SMS to farmers with content like ‘update your banking information to continue receiving funds’ with a link. The links usually lead to phishing sites designed to steal their sensitive information.

PM-Kisan Mobile Application

The PM-Kisan App has been introduced as an upgrade available for both, android and iOS users. Users can access all the functions that they can from the website.

Conclusion

The PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana is a crucial initiative taken by the government of India to transform the lives of the farmers of India by making the agricultural sector safe and secure from unpredictable and uncertain. It not only benefits the farmers but the overall agriculture sector of the country as well.

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Important Links

Official Website: https://pmkisan.gov.in/

Contact Information: https://pmkisan.gov.in/Contacts.aspx