PM-KISAN Scheme Extension and Key Highlights

PM-KISAN Scheme Extension and Key Highlights

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Why in News

  • The Union Cabinet has approved extending the PM-KISAN scheme for another 5 years to support farmers and boost national agriculture.

Key Features and Details of PM-KISAN

  • The government launched PM-KISAN in 2019 as a Central Sector Scheme to provide guaranteed income support to landholding farmer families.
  • The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated ₹60,000 crore to ensure ongoing financial security for farmers.
  • The Union Cabinet approved continuing the scheme from 2026-27 to 2030-31 with a financial outlay of ₹3.15 lakh crore.
  • Under this scheme, each eligible family gets ₹6,000 every year, paid in 3 equal installments of ₹2,000.
  • The government sends this financial help directly to Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts using Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
  • This scheme helps farmers buy seeds and fertilisers, increases crop yield, and reduces dependence on local moneylenders.
  • State Governments identify eligible farming families and maintain details like Aadhaar numbers, bank accounts, and mobile numbers.
  • A multi-tier setup at national, state, and district levels monitors the scheme, with top national reviews led by the Cabinet Secretary.
  • The PM-KISAN portal and mobile app facilitate fast registration, document verification, tracking of payments, and e-KYC.

Key Achievements and Impact

  • The government has transferred more than ₹4.47 lakh crore directly into farmers' bank accounts across 23 instalments.
  • During the Covid-19 pandemic, the scheme disbursed over ₹1.71 lakh crore, while women farmers received over ₹1.06 lakh crore.
  • A study by NITI Aayog showed that over 92% of beneficiaries spent this money on farming, while 85% saw higher income and less debt.
  • Between 2020-21 and 2025-26, cultivated land expanded by 9.65%, productivity rose by 10.53%, and total foodgrain output grew by 21.18%.

Significance of the Scheme

  • Extending this scheme helps farmers invest more in modern farming, protects them from market risks, and strengthens the rural economy.