As the April-May 2024 general election approaches, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government is reportedly contemplating a hike in the amount provided to farmers under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi’ or PM-KISAN Yojana. According to sources cited by CNBC-TV18, the government is considering raising the allocation from the existing Rs.6,000 to Rs.8,000 per farmer annually.
The potential increase is not limited to PM-KISAN alone, as the report suggests that the Narendra Modi government is also exploring the option of enhancing the allocation under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. Final decisions on these matters are expected to be taken by the government soon.
Under the current PM-KISAN scheme, eligible farmers receive three installments of Rs.2,000 each per year, totaling Rs.6,000. The installments are disbursed in April-July, August-November, and December-March annually, directly transferred to the bank accounts of registered farmers. Initiated just before the 2019 general election, the PM-Kisan scheme has now completed 15 installments.
In addition to the PM-KISAN Yojana, the government’s Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, provides an extra 5 kg of food grains per person per month along with the regular monthly National Food Security Act (NFSA) food grains.
To ensure eligibility for the 16th installment of PM-Kisan, farmers need to complete their e-KYC (Know Your Customer) process. Visiting the nearest Common Service Center (CSC) or bank facilitates this, and the e-KYC can also be completed through the official PM-Kisan portal.
It’s crucial for farmers to address any errors in their forms, such as incorrect bank account details or Aadhaar numbers, and complete land verification. Failure to do so may result in exclusion from the list of beneficiaries.
