The Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, initiated by the central government on December 1, 2018, aimed to bolster the economic status of farmers. Under this scheme, an amount of ₹2,000 is deposited into the accounts of farmers every four months, facilitating them to procure agricultural inputs for better farming practices.
Annually, the central government allocates a budget of approximately ₹7.20 crore for this scheme, directly disbursing it into the accounts of farmers. Recently, the 16th installment of this scheme was credited to the accounts of farmers on February 28. However, for those awaiting the 17th installment, the latest update might be disappointing.
Ineligible Farmers Receive Notices
Unfortunately, certain individuals, including government employees, pensioners, and income tax payees, do not qualify for the benefits of this scheme. Moreover, only one member per family, either the husband or the wife, is entitled to receive the benefits. Consequently, several farmers have been deprived of this assistance over the past two years.
During inspections, notices have been issued to nearly 100 ineligible farmers, and recovery of the funds has been initiated from 22 of them. Some farmers have ceased accepting these funds altogether.
Approximately 100 Farmers Remain Affected
Moreover, there are farmers whose accounts have yet to receive this installment. The delay is attributed to pending tasks related to their Aadhaar and NPCI verification. Fortunately, farmers can now expedite this process using their mobile phones from the comfort of their homes. Assistance from CSC centers, agricultural coordinators, and farmer advisors in their respective panchayats can facilitate this process. Once completed, the funds will begin flowing into their accounts.
While the delay in the disbursement of the 17th installment of the PM Kisan scheme may be discouraging for some farmers, proactive measures are being taken to resolve the issues and ensure that eligible beneficiaries receive their entitled benefits.