A Total of ₹335 Crore Recovered from Ineligible Beneficiaries of PM-Kisan
09 December 2024, New Delhi: The Government of India has recovered a total of ₹335 crore from ineligible beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. Launched in February 2019, the scheme aims to provide financial assistance of ₹6,000 per year to land-holding farmer families in three equal installments through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). It is one of the largest DBT schemes in the world, ensuring that financial aid reaches farmers directly, without the involvement of middlemen.
Since its inception, the PM-KISAN scheme has disbursed over ₹3.46 lakh crore across 18 installments to eligible farmers. Initially, the scheme operated on a trust-based system, where farmers were registered by the states on a self-certification basis. Aadhaar seeding was also relaxed for certain states in the early stages. Over time, several technological interventions were introduced to enhance transparency, including integration with PFMS, UIDAI, and the Income Tax Department. Mandatory land seeding, Aadhaar-based payments, and e-KYC were also implemented to verify beneficiaries.
These measures led to the identification of ineligible beneficiaries, such as income tax payees, high-income individuals, and government employees. Recoveries from such individuals have been initiated by the respective state governments, resulting in the retrieval of ₹335 crore so far.
Farmers who failed to meet mandatory criteria had their benefits temporarily halted. Once the requirements are fulfilled, they regain eligibility and can receive their dues retroactively. Registration for the scheme is an ongoing process, allowing farmers to self-register through the PM-Kisan Portal. Applications are verified and approved by the concerned state or union territory governments before benefits are processed.
The scheme provides support to all landholding farmers, including small and marginal ones, regardless of the size of their landholdings. However, there is no plan to expand the scheme to include tenant farmers at this stage.
This update was provided by the Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Mr. Ram Nath Thakur, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
Please reach out at info@krishakjagat.org, nimishgangrade@krishakjagat.org if you would like to share your company story or advertise in the upcoming issue of Global Agriculture magazine.
(For Latest Agriculture News & Updates, follow Krishak Jagat on Google News)
(+80 Million Farming Audience Visits Krishak Jagat’s Hindi Website – Click Here for Website)
