Direct Benefit Transfers Continue Under PM-Kisan, Benefits Reach 9.5 Million Farmers
The Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM‑Kisan) programme has entered its second decade, with the Cabinet authorising its extension through FY 2030‑31 and allocating ₹3.15 lakh crore for the next five years. The scheme, which began in February 2019, provides a direct cash payment of ₹6,000 per farmer household each year, divided into three instalments that are transferred straight to the beneficiary’s bank account.
The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, coupled with Aadhaar verification and digital validation, ensures that the subsidy bypasses any middlemen. As of the latest 23rd instalment, more than 9.49 crore farmers have received a cumulative payment of ₹18,984 crore. Since its launch, the programme has moved over ₹4.47 lakh crore directly into the hands of farmers.
In addition to the regular payouts, the government injected a special COVID‑19 relief package of over ₹1.71 lakh crore to shield the agricultural sector from pandemic‑related shocks. Women farmers have benefitted substantially, with allocations exceeding ₹1.06 lakh crore; they now represent roughly 25 % of the total beneficiary base.
Independent evaluation by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) indicates that 92 % of beneficiaries spent the funds on farming activities such as seeds, fertilisers, irrigation and machinery, while 85 % reported an uplift in farm earnings and a drop in informal borrowing. The period from 2020‑21 to 2025‑26 witnessed a 9.65 % rise in cultivated land, a 10.53 % boost in productivity and a 21.18 % surge in overall food grain output, trends linked to the financial infusion from PM‑Kisan.
The government markets the scheme as a flagship of Digital India, leveraging Aadhaar‑linked identity, real‑time digital verification and seamless DBT to bring transparency and speed. Officials believe that extending PM‑Kisan for another five years will further raise farmers’ investment capacity, mitigate agricultural risks and reinforce the rural economy, helping India move toward its goal of becoming a Developed nation.