On October 5, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi disbursed ₹20,000 crore as the 18th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, benefiting over 9.5 crore farmers across India. This installment, amounting to ₹2,000 per farmer, is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to provide financial assistance to small and marginal farmers. PM Modi released the funds during an event in Washim, Maharashtra, where additional benefits were also announced for farmers in the state.
What is PM KISAN Scheme?
Launched in 2019, the PM-KISAN scheme aims to support farmers who own up to two hectares of land by providing ₹6,000 annually, divided into three installments of ₹2,000 each. The funds are directly transferred to farmers’ bank accounts, ensuring a seamless and transparent process. With this 18th installment, the total funds disbursed under the scheme have reached an impressive ₹3.45 lakh crore.
The previous, 17th installment of the PM-KISAN scheme was distributed on June 18, 2024, benefiting around 9.25 crore farmers. With the 18th installment, the number of beneficiaries has increased by an additional 25 lakh, signaling the growing outreach of the program.
PM-KISAN Benefits Farmers in Maharashtra
Maharashtra continues to be a major beneficiary of the PM-KISAN scheme. In this 18th installment alone, approximately 91.5 lakh farmers from the state received over ₹1,900 crore in direct financial assistance. So far, over ₹32,000 crore has been disbursed to 1.2 crore farmers in Maharashtra through the scheme’s previous installments.
During the event, Prime Minister Modi also announced the release of ₹2,000 crore as part of the fifth installment of the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana, an additional scheme aimed at supporting farmers in Maharashtra. The announcements come ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, showcasing the government’s focus on rural welfare.
New Initiatives for Farmers and Cattle Breeders
PM Modi launched several initiatives to further support farmers and cattle breeders across India. A key highlight was the introduction of the Unified Genomic Chip for cattle and indigenous sex-sorted semen technology, which aims to increase the availability of high-quality semen for breeding at affordable prices. The new genomic chips, GAUCHIP for indigenous cattle and MAHISHCHIP for buffaloes, are designed to identify high-quality young bulls, helping improve the breeding process and boost livestock quality.
The Prime Minister also dedicated five solar parks with a capacity of 19 MW under the Mukhyamantri Solar Krishi Vahini Yojana (MSKVY) 2.0 scheme. These solar parks will provide daytime electricity to farmers, ensuring uninterrupted power for agricultural activities.
How to Check Eligibility for the PM-KISAN Scheme
Farmers can check their eligibility for the PM-KISAN scheme through the official PM-KISAN website by following these steps:
- Visit the official website.
- Navigate to the ‘Beneficiary List’ page.
- Enter details such as state, district, sub-district, block, and village.
- Click on ‘Get Report’ to view the beneficiary list and check if your name is included.
The beneficiary list is also available at local panchayats for easy access.
Completing eKYC for PM-KISAN Payments
To continue receiving payments under the PM-KISAN scheme, farmers are required to complete their eKYC, which can be done in three ways:
- OTP-based eKYC: Farmers with an Aadhaar-linked mobile number can complete eKYC via the PM-KISAN portal.
- Biometric eKYC: Available at Common Service Centers (CSC) and State Seva Kendras (SSK) across the country.
- Face-Authentication eKYC: This can be done through the PM-KISAN mobile app using Aadhaar-linked facial recognition.
Farmers are encouraged to complete their eKYC at the earliest to ensure the uninterrupted flow of payments.
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