Features of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana
Schemes like the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana or the Pradhan Mantri Dhanlaxmi Yojna offer a level playing field to the marginalised sections of the society, wherein the aforementioned schemes target the well-being of the farmers and young girls in the country.
1. Financial support
The most important feature of this scheme is that it provides regular financial support to eligible farmers of Rs. 6,000 annually. To help them better manage their finances, this allowance is not disbursed all at once. Instead, the money is paid out in instalments of Rs. 2,000 at intervals of 4 months.
The farmers can utilise the funds for their well-being. There is no restriction on where the farmers can use the money. Therefore, there is no mandate that a beneficiary must use the funds for agriculture-related expenses.
2. Availability of loans
The PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana also offers short-term loans to farmers, which they can avail of using their Kisan credit card. The farmers can avail of loans up to Rs. 3 lakh without offering any collateral. These loans are provided at a cheaper interest rate and give the beneficiaries flexible options for the repayment of the loan.
3. Identification of farmers
While the central government disburses funds to farmers, state or Union Territory governments are responsible for identifying eligible beneficiaries. Under the scheme, a family is defined as constituting a husband, wife, and minor children.
Also read: NPS Scheme
Benefits of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana
The primary advantage of the scheme is the direct funds transfer, which eases the liquidity constraints of farmers. One of the marquee events related to the programme was when a sum of Rs. 18,000 crore was sent out to 9 crore farmers directly to their bank accounts on December 25, 2020.
Eligibility
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All farmer families with cultivable land, irrespective of landholding size
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Annual Support
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Rs. 6,000
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Installment Amount
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Rs. 2,000
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Installment Frequency
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3 installments per year
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Payment Periods
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April-July, August-November, December-March
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This happened in the presence of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Since the programme is carried out digitally, all the farmers’ records are registered on a digital medium, making the process of registration and funds transfer seamless. Digital record keeping has set a new milestone for government-initiated welfare schemes.
The programme also marks a gigantic step towards the modernisation of Indian agriculture, which has been plagued with old-age techniques and low pay-outs for years.
Application process for PM-Kisan yojana
Step 1: Ensure you have the following prerequisites ready:
- Aadhaar Card
- Landholding documents
- Savings bank account details
Step 2: The VLE (Village Level Entrepreneur) will enter the farmer's registration information, including state, district, sub-district block, village, Aadhaar number, beneficiary name, category, bank details, Land Registration ID, and date of birth as per the Aadhaar card for verification.
Step 3: The VLE will input land details such as Survey/Kahta Number, Khasra Number, and land area as stated in the landholding documents.
Step 4: Upload the required supporting documents, including landholding papers, Aadhaar card, and bank passbook.
Step 5: Accept the self-declaration and save the application form.
Step 6: After saving the form, proceed to make the payment using the CSC ID.
Step 7: Verify the beneficiary status using the Aadhaar number.
PM Kisan Samman Nidhi eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, a farmer must meet the following criteria:
- Land Ownership: The farmer must own cultivable land.
- Family Size: The family should consist of a husband, wife, and minor children.
- Income Limit: The family's annual income should be below a certain threshold.
Ineligibility Criteria:
Individuals falling under the following categories are considered economically well-off and are, therefore, not eligible for benefits under this scheme:
Institutional Landholders – All individuals or entities classified as institutional landholders are not eligible for benefits under this scheme.
High-Ranking Government Officials – This includes both current and former holders of constitutional posts, such as Presidents, Governors, etc.
Political Representatives – Former and present Ministers (Central/State), MPs (Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha), MLAs/MLCs, Mayors of Municipal Corporations, and Chairpersons of District Panchayats are excluded.
Government Employees – All serving or retired officers and staff from Central/State Governments, PSUs, autonomous bodies, and local bodies are ineligible. However, this does not apply to Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), Class IV, or Group D employees.
Retired Pensioners with Higher Income – Pensioners receiving a monthly pension of ₹10,000 or more are excluded, except those classified under MTS, Class IV, or Group D.
Income Taxpayers – Individuals who paid income tax in the last assessment year are not eligible.
Practicing Professionals – Doctors, engineers, lawyers, chartered accountants, and architects who are professionally registered and currently practicing are excluded.
Families with Ineligible Members – If even one member of a farmer's family belongs to any of the above categories, the entire family becomes ineligible for the scheme.
Also read: What is Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
Documents needed to register for the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana
To apply as a beneficiary under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, individuals must submit the following documents:
- Aadhaar Card
- Proof of citizenship
- Documents verifying land ownership
- Bank account details
For online registration, scanned copies of these documents are required.
Note: Possessing an Aadhaar Card is mandatory to receive benefits under the PM-Kisan scheme. Farmers without an Aadhaar Card are not eligible to register or enroll as beneficiaries in this scheme.
