Maarg Manthan · Topic 3.1

PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi)

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Schemes · Topic 3.1

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, launched on 24 February 2019 at Gorakhpur, that gives income support of Rs 6,000 a year to farmer families, paid in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 every four months by Direct Benefit Transfer. It was first for small and marginal farmers with up to 2 hectares and was extended to all landholding farmer families in June 2019. The scheme is fully funded by the Centre, and in July 2026 the Cabinet extended it to 2030-31 with an outlay of about Rs 3.15 lakh crore.

6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Schemes

At a Glance

Launch 24 February 2019, Gorakhpur
Ministry Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Type Central Sector Scheme, 100 per cent central funding
Benefit Rs 6,000 a year in three instalments of Rs 2,000
Latest decision Extended to 2030-31, about Rs 3.15 lakh crore (July 2026)
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This is the first topic of the macro on agriculture and farmer welfare. It is the largest direct cash transfer to farmers. Its data base is managed through the website described in PM-KISAN Portal, and it works with the credit and insurance schemes that follow in this macro. Previous topic: Metro Rail Policy and Urban Mass Transit Schemes. Next topic: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

What Are the Main Features of PM-KISAN?

Feature	Detail
Launch	The Interim Budget of 2019 announced it. The scheme took effect from 1 December 2018 and was launched on 24 February 2019. The Prime Minister released the first instalment at Gorakhpur
Type	Central Sector Scheme. The Centre bears the full cost and the money goes to the bank account of the farmer through Direct Benefit Transfer
Benefit	Rs 6,000 a year in three instalments of Rs 2,000, paid in April to July, August to November and December to March
Coverage	All landholding farmer families, defined as husband, wife and minor children. The 2 hectare limit was removed in June 2019
Identification	States and Union Territories identify beneficiaries using land records. Aadhaar seeding, e-KYC and a Farmer Registry linked to AgriStack are now required
Exclusions	Institutional landholders, holders of constitutional posts, serving or former ministers, MPs and MLAs, mayors and district panchayat heads, serving or retired officers of the Centre and states above multi-tasking staff, pensioners with Rs 10,000 or more a month, income tax payers and professionals such as doctors, engineers and lawyers
Nodal ministry	Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, through the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

What Is the Latest Status of PM-KISAN?

21st instalment: released on 19 November 2025 from Coimbatore, with about Rs 18,000 crore to over 9 crore farmers, as reported
22nd instalment: released on 13 March 2026 from Guwahati, with about Rs 18,640 crore to about 9.32 crore farmers, as reported
Extension: On 31 July 2026 the Cabinet approved continuation for five years from 2026-27 to 2030-31 with an outlay of about Rs 3.15 lakh crore, and the Rs 6,000 amount was not changed, as reported
Total spend: Lakhs of crores of rupees have been transferred since 2019 as per Ministry statements, so quote any cumulative figure only with a date
Early release: The 21st instalment was sent early to Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand because of floods and landslides
Compliance: e-KYC and the Farmer Registry are mandatory, and missing steps have left lakhs of farmers out of an instalment
Grievance: a helpline, a state nodal officer and a district level officer handle complaints about status
Link with credit: PM-KISAN beneficiaries were the main target of a drive to give Kisan Credit Cards in 2020, as in Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme

What Else Should You Remember?

Full name: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, known by the short form PM-KISAN, means the Prime Minister Farmer Respect Fund
Idea: Income support to cover the cost of seeds, fertiliser and other inputs, and to cut dependence on moneylenders
Earlier models: Telangana Rythu Bandhu of 2018 and Odisha KALIA scheme were state models, and the national scheme followed them
Number: As reported, the scheme covers around 9 crore or more farmer families, and the count of eligible farmers rises and falls with checks
Fiscal cost: About Rs 60,000 crore a year, which is a little over 1 per cent of central expenditure, as per budget papers
Criticism: It excludes tenant farmers and landless labourers, the amount is fixed in rupee terms and not indexed, and land records are out of date in many states
Exclusion errors: Aadhaar mismatch, wrong bank details and land record gaps cause genuine farmers to miss payments
Inclusion errors: Ineligible persons such as income tax payers have received payments in past audits, and recovery drives were launched
Digital base: A direct transfer needs a clean land record, so the scheme has been a driver of digitisation of records and AgriStack
Comparison: Compare with the pension scheme in Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana and the input subsidy given on fertiliser
Constitutional link: Agriculture is a State subject, but the Centre uses its spending powers to run a Central Sector Scheme directly
Prelims trap: The first instalment was due December to March 2018-19, and the scheme is not a loan or insurance product

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Key facts: 24 February 2019, Gorakhpur, Rs 6,000 in three instalments
Type: Central Sector Scheme, 100 per cent central funding
Eligibility: all landholding farmer families after June 2019, with listed exclusions
Tech: DBT, e-KYC, Aadhaar seeding and Farmer Registry
Current affairs: 22nd instalment in March 2026 and extension to 2030-31

As an analytical point, a fixed income support is easy to run and reaches many farmers quickly. Its limits are fixed value, exclusion of tenants and land record gaps. A well tested design should link the amount to input costs and bring in tenant cultivators through a farmer registry.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Largest transfer Cash support to farmers
Facts Amount and instalments
Current Extended to 2030-31

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the crop insurance scheme that protects farmers against yield loss. Next topic: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

Key People and Terms

DBT Direct Benefit Transfer
e-KYC Electronic identity check
Farmer Registry Digital list of farmers
AgriStack Digital public infrastructure for agriculture
Landholding family Husband, wife and minor children
Instalment One of three yearly payments

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Launched on 24 February 2019 at Gorakhpur.
Rs 6,000 a year in three instalments.
Central Sector, 100 per cent central.
22nd instalment: 13 March 2026.
Extended to 2030-31 (July 2026).

Do Not Confuse With

PM-KISAN and PM-KMY Cash support now versus a pension at 60
Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Full central funding versus shared funding
PM-KISAN and KCC Income support versus credit

Memory Hook

Twenty-four February, Gorakhpur, six thousand, three parts, Centre pays all.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about the design and limits of income support to farmers. These points give a balanced frame.

Merits Simple, wide reach, reduces credit stress
Demerits Excludes tenants, fixed amount, land record gaps
Way ahead Include tenants, link to costs, clean land records

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine the strengths and limitations of PM-KISAN as an instrument of farmer income support and suggest improvements.”

How to Answer

Intro Scheme of 2019 and design.
Strengths Reach and speed.
Limits Tenants and fixed amount.
Way Registry and indexation.

GS Relevance

Prelims: launch, amount, instalments, funding type, exclusions. GS Paper 3: agriculture, farmer income support, subsidies and direct benefit transfer. GS Paper 2: welfare schemes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PM-KISAN?

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, launched on 24 February 2019. It gives Rs 6,000 a year to eligible farmer families in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000, sent by Direct Benefit Transfer to their bank accounts.

Who is eligible for PM-KISAN?

All landholding farmer families, meaning husband, wife and minor children, are eligible, after the 2 hectare limit was removed in June 2019. Institutional landholders, constitutional post holders, former and serving ministers, MPs and MLAs, income tax payers, professionals and high pensioners are excluded under the scheme guidelines.

Which ministry runs PM-KISAN?

PM-KISAN is run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, through the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It is a Central Sector Scheme, so the Centre pays the whole cost, while state governments identify beneficiaries through land records and verify them for payment.

How much money does PM-KISAN give?

PM-KISAN gives Rs 6,000 per eligible family each year, in three instalments of Rs 2,000 at intervals of four months. The 22nd instalment was released on 13 March 2026, with about Rs 18,640 crore reaching about 9.32 crore farmers, as reported, and the amount was kept unchanged in the 2026 extension.

What is the latest status of PM-KISAN?

On 31 July 2026 the Union Cabinet approved the continuation of PM-KISAN for five years, from 2026-27 to 2030-31, with an outlay of about Rs 3.15 lakh crore, as reported. The 22nd instalment was paid in March 2026, and e-KYC and Farmer Registry steps are required for later instalments.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 PM-KISAN is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

False

It is a Central Sector Scheme with full central funding.

2 PM-KISAN gives Rs 6,000 a year in three instalments.

True

Rs 2,000 each.

3 PM-KISAN was launched at Gorakhpur in 2019.