PM-KISAN Scheme (Agriculture)
PM-KISAN Scheme (Agriculture)
Why In News:The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from 2026-27 to 2030-31 with a total outlay of Rs 3.15 lakh crore.
About PM-KISANFull Form: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, launched in February 2019.
Nature of Scheme: A Central Sector Scheme fully funded by the Union government, administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Eligibility: Landholding farmer families across the country, subject to certain exclusion criteria such as institutional landholders and income tax payees.
Transfer Mechanism: Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through Aadhaar seeded bank accounts, ensuring no intermediaries.
Key Features of the Extension
Outlay and Period: Rs 3.15 lakh crore approved for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31.
Annual Benefit: Rs 6,000 per year per eligible family, paid in three equal installments of Rs 2,000 each, timed with the crop cycle.
Cumulative Disbursement: Over Rs 4.47 lakh crore transferred so far across 23 instalments since the scheme began.
Women Beneficiaries: More than Rs 1.06 lakh crore received by women farmers, who make up nearly one in four beneficiaries.
Independent Evaluation: The DMEO (Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office) of NITI Aayog found over 92 percent of beneficiaries used the assistance for agricultural investment.
Production Impact: Foodgrain production rose about 21.18 percent between 2020-21 and 2025-26, alongside gains in cropped area and productivity.
e-KYC and Aadhaar Linkagee-KYC is mandatory for all PM-KISAN beneficiaries, as indicated on the official portal.Farmers can complete e-KYC through:OTP-based Aadhaar authentication on the PM-KISAN portalBiometric authentication at Common Service Centres (CSCs)Face authentication via the PM-KISAN mobile appThe government has also promoted face authentication to simplify the process.