PM-KISAN Scheme: Targets vs Actual Reach
Why in the news
A review of PM-KISAN compared its original goals with real coverage and spending; separately, over 30,000 SHG women got Krishi Sakhi certificates.
Key facts
- Launched by the Prime Minister in February 2019.
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme, 100% Centre-funded; nodal body is the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
- Rs 6,000 a year in three equal instalments every four months.
- Paid by Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to farmer families’ bank accounts, using verified PM-KISAN portal data; among the largest DBT schemes globally.
- Ineligible claims are checked through PFMS, UIDAI and the Income Tax Department.
Plan versus performance
| Measure | Estimate | Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiaries | 14.5 crore | 9.59 crore by October 2024 |
| Yearly spend | About Rs 87,217.5 crore | Never above Rs 70,000 crore |
Scheduled Castes form 12% of beneficiaries and Scheduled Tribes 9%.
Krishi Sakhis
Practising farmers and trained para-extension workers at the grassroots; over 30,000 women from SHGs were certified.
Concerns
- Tenant farmers excluded; funds under-used; calls for a higher payout.
- Payouts and beneficiaries have fluctuated across states.
Exam angle
- Launch: 2019; instalments: 3, every 4 months; related bodies: PFMS, UIDAI.