Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN, translation: Prime Minister's Farmer's Tribute Fund) is an initiative by the government of India in which all farmers will get up to ₹6,000 (US$84) per year as minimum income support. The initiative was announced by Piyush Goyal during the 2019 Interim Union Budget of India on 1 February 2019.[1][2][3][4] The scheme has cost ₹75,000 crore (US$11 billion) per annum and has come in effect from December 2018.[5] ₹6000 per year will be paid to each eligible farmer in three instalments and will be deposited directly to their bank accounts.[6] It happened first time in India and millions of farmers got benefit.
The scheme was first conceived and implemented by Govt of Telangana as the Rythu Bandhu scheme, where a certain amount is given directly to eligible farmers. The scheme has received accolades[7] from various organisations for its successful implementation, including World Bank. Many economist suggest that this type of investment support is better[8] than farm loan waivers. With the positive outcome of this scheme, Govt of India wanted to implement[9] it as nationwide project and it was announced by Piyush Goyal during the 2019 Interim Union Budget of India on 1 February 2019.[10][11]
For 2018–2019, Rs. 20,000 crore was allocated under this scheme. For the year 2019–2020, the scheme has been revised to benefit nearly 2 crores more farmers; for which the coverage of the scheme is increased to nearly 14.5 crore beneficiaries, by allocating Rs. 87,217.50 crores by the Central Government. On 24 February 2019, Narendra Modi launched the scheme in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur by transferring the first instalment of ₹2,000 each to over one crore farmers.[12][13][14]
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has awarded the top-performing states, districts under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. It is based on the criteria such as correction of data, addressing farmer grievances, and timely physical verification exercise.[15]
Objectives
With a view to augment the income of the Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs), the Government has launched a new Central Sector Scheme, namely, "Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)" in the current financial year.[16]
The PM-KISAN scheme aims to supplement the financial needs of the SMFs in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income at the end of the each crop cycle.[16]
This would also protect them from falling in the clutches of moneylenders for meeting such expenses and ensure their continuance in the farming activities.[16]
Finance
This is around ₹75,000 crore.[17] The complete expenditure for the scheme will borne by the Union Government in 2019-20.[18][19][20]
Eligibility criteria
In the database, the land owner's name, gender.
Social Classification (Scheduled Tribes / Scheduled Tribes).
Aadhaar number, bank account number and mobile number etc.
Land record details.
Jan Dhan Bank Account Number, Aadhaar and Mobile Number will help in identifying eligible beneficiaries and incompetent claimants.
The scheme is sponsored by the Central Government. Therefore, the farmers have to be citizens of the country.
All farmers irrespective of landholding are eligible.
Landholding should be in farmers name in order to become eligible under the scheme.
Location of land does not evaluate if land is being used for agriculture purpose.
Micro landholdings are also made eligible.
[21]
Documents required
Citizenship certificate
Landholding papers
Aadhaar card
Bank account details [22]
Exclusion categories
The following categories of beneficiaries of higher economic status shall not be eligible for benefit under the scheme.[23][24]
(A) All Institutional Land holders.[23][24]
(B) Farmer families in which one or more of its members belong to following categories:[23][24]
Former and present holders of constitutional posts.
Former and present Ministers/ State Ministers and former/present Members of LokSabha/ RajyaSabha/ State Legislative Assemblies/ State Legislative Councils, former and present Mayors of Municipal Corporations, former and present Chairpersons of District Panchayats.
All serving or retired officers and employees of Central/ State Government Ministries /Offices/Departments and its field units Central or State PSEs and Attached offices /Autonomous Institutions under Government as well as regular employees of the Local Bodies (Excluding Multi Tasking Staff /Class IV/Group D employees).
All superannuated/retired pensioners whose monthly pension is ₹10,000/-or more (Excluding Multi Tasking Staff / Class IV/Group D employees) of above category.
All Persons who paid Income Tax in last assessment year.
Professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, and Architects registered with Professional bodies and carrying out profession by undertaking practices.
Leased land holders are not eligible i.e. tenant farmers.
Land which is not used for the purpose of agriculture are not eligible.