Prime Minister Narendra Modi will disburse cash worth ₹16,800 crore to nearly 80 million farmers under the PM-KISAN income-transfer scheme for agriculturists on Monday in Karnataka’s Belagavi, an official statement said.
Under PM-KISAN, the government provides income support of ₹6,000 a year to farmers with a valid enrolment, paid in three equal cash transfers of ₹2,000 – one every four months. It was launched on February 24, 2019, when the first instalment was paid.
This will be the 13th installment under the scheme. The 11th and 12th instalments under the PM-KISAN scheme were released in May and October 2022.
Since its launch, the government has disbursed more than ₹2.24 lakh crore to eligible farmers through various instalments.
PM-KISAN is a central sector scheme with 100% funding from the central government. Identification of beneficiaries is the responsibility of state governments as per scheme guidelines. Any land-owning farming household can enroll itself subject to exclusions, such as income ceilings, tax payments and total asset value.
During the Covid lockdown, ₹1.75 lakh crore was distributed in multiple instalments to support farmers. The scheme has also benefited over 30 million women farmers who collectively received over ₹53,600 crores, the government said.