Cabinet Approves Continuation of PM-KISAN Scheme Till 2030-31 with ₹3.15 Lakh Crore Outlay

The Union Cabinet has given its nod to the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme, it reaffirms the government’s promise to bring about farmers welfare and provide support for rural development. As per the approval, the scheme will cost ₹3.15 lakh crore and will continue providing for ₹6,000 annually for eligible landholding families. It was implemented in the year 2019, PM-KISAN became the largest of the income support schemes in India, assisting farmers in implementing their agricultural activities, lowering reliance on informal credit, and helping them earn a living in a transparent and technology-based manner.

What Is PM-KISAN Scheme?

The PM-KISAN scheme is a scheme implemented by the government of India in February 2019 to facilitate income support to farmers.

Under this program, farmers will receive ₹ 6,000 directly into their bank accounts.

This program employs various means to keep the fund disbursal process transparent and efficient.

Centre Approves to Continue to PM-KISAN Running Until 2030-31

The Union Cabinet has decided to extend the PM-KISAN scheme for another period of five years (from 2026 to 2030).

The financial provision for the scheme amounts to a total of ₹3.15 lakh crore till this period so as to provide uninterrupted income assistance to eligible farmers.

This initiative highlights the seriousness of the government in matters of farmers’ income, investment in agriculture, and rural economy as a whole.

Major Takeaways from PM-KISAN Scheme

Since its initiation, the program has met various important benchmarks.

Financial Support

• The scheme provides annual assistance of Rs. 6000/year to farmers who are eligible.
• Funds are channeled through direct bank transfer in three disbursements.

Total Amount Transferred

• An amount more than Rs. 447000 crore has been credited to farmers’ bank accounts in 22 tranches.

Most Recent Disbursement

• The 23rd instalment helped 9.49 crore farmers.
• The amount paid in this instalment was Rs. 18984 crore.

Support during COVID-19

• In the times of pandemic, an amount of Rs. 171000 crore was disbursed to farmers and assist in agriculture.

Support to Women Farmers

• Women farmers received Rs. 106000 crore through PM KISAN scheme, with nearly one among four beneficiaries being a woman farmer.

Role of PM-KISAN in Supporting Farmers

With the help of financial assistance from PM-KISAN, farmers can invest in the agricultural inputs at the right time and boost the productivity of farms with the support through this annual help.

With the amount received annually, farmers can buy the,

• Quality seeds
• Fertilizers
• Irrigation equipment
• Farm machinery
• Other necessary input for farming.

By providing predictable financial assistance, the scheme makes farmers less reliant on informal sources of credit and stabilizes rural households financially.

Highlights of Independent Evaluation

The independent evaluation recognizes the positive impact created by the PM-KISAN scheme.

As per the evaluation done by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) under NITI Aayog, it was found that,

• Over 92% of beneficiaries utilized the amount for agricultural operations and investment in farm activities.
• About 85% stated that their agricultural income increased and dependence on informal borrowing got reduced.

The findings suggest that PM-KISAN has been beneficial in creating opportunities for productive investment in agriculture

Contribution to Agriculture Development

From 2020-21 to 2025-26, India’s agriculture sector saw significant improvements.

In this period,

• Overall cultivated area increased by about 9.65%.
• Productivity in agriculture increased by around 10.53%.
• Total food grain production increased by nearly 21.18%.

According to government officials, this has been made possible by various support measures for farmers, including PM-KISAN, along with the betterment of agriculture in general.

Digital India and Transparent Delivery

The concept of Digital India is exemplified through the program PM-KISAN.

With the support of the technology, such as digital verification based on Aadhaar, financial assistance can efficiently be delivered directly to beneficiaries without intermediaries.

Thus, the digital approach has improved transparency, reduced leakage of resources, enabled prompt payment, and enhanced the trust between farmers and the government.