PM-KISAN: Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda says there is no proposal to hike the amount from Rs 6,000 per annum

The government on Tuesday informed Parliament that there is no proposal to increase the financial benefit of farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme to Rs 8,000-12,000 per annum. Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha that no proposal to increase the amount of subsidy for women farmers under the scheme has been considered.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), launched in 2019, provides financial benefits of Rs 6,000 per annum to eligible farmers in three equal installments of Rs 2,000 every four months. Funds are transferred directly to the beneficiary’s bank account. Replying to a question whether the government plans to increase this amount to Rs 8,000-12,000 per annum, he said: “No proposal is being considered at the moment.”

Sharing the progress made under the scheme, the minister said that so far, the government has disbursed over Rs 281 crore in 15 installments to over 110 million farmers. He said the benefit was to supplement the financial needs of land-owning farmers.

Munda also said PM-KISAN is one of the largest direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes in the world. The farmer-centric digital infrastructure ensures that the benefits of the scheme reach all farmers across the country without the involvement of any middlemen. Responding to another query, the minister said that 2,62,45,829 farmers in Uttar Pradesh have benefited from PM-KISAN since the launch of the scheme.

As per the operational guidelines of the scheme, it is the responsibility of States/Union Territories to identify and verify eligible beneficiaries under the scheme.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)