Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday released the 21st instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme during an event in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Nearly 9 crore farmers will collectively receive Rs 18,000 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Launched on February 24, 2019, PM-KISAN provides annual income support of Rs 6,000 to each eligible landholding farmer family, paid in three instalments of Rs 2,000. The amount is transferred directly into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. So far, more than Rs 3.70 lakh crore has been disbursed to over 11 crore farmer families, making PM-KISAN one of the world’s largest DBT programmes. Women farmers constitute over one-fourth of the total beneficiaries.
A robust digital ecosystem underpins the scheme, ensuring transparency and efficient delivery. Aadhaar-based e-KYC, digital verification of land records and the PM-KISAN portal have enabled tamper-proof authentication. Farmers can self-register online, and payments are processed seamlessly through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).
Digital tools continue to enhance accessibility. The PM-KISAN mobile app—relaunched in 2023 with a face authentication feature—allows farmers to complete e-KYC remotely and check payment status. The Kisan-eMitra AI chatbot, available in 11 regional languages, has resolved more than 95 lakh queries related to registration, eligibility and payments.
A major saturation drive launched during the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra in 2023 helped add over one crore eligible farmers. Another 25 lakh farmers were included in the first 100 days of the new government in June 2024. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of beneficiaries in the 20th instalment, followed by Maharashtra.
For over 85% of Indian farmers—those holding less than two hectares of land—PM-KISAN remains a vital form of income support, especially during sowing and harvesting cycles when expenses rise. The scheme has helped reduce dependence on informal credit and strengthened financial resilience during challenging periods.
Implementation is jointly monitored by the Centre and states. Beneficiary lists are displayed at the village level to ensure transparency, while states and Union Territories are required to recover payments made to ineligible recipients. As of August 2025, Rs 416 crore has been recovered.
To further streamline delivery of welfare schemes, the Ministry of Agriculture is developing a national Farmer Registry—a unified digital database aimed at simplifying access to government benefits and reducing the need for repeated documentation.