Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 23rd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on June 20 from Tarakeswar in West Bengal’s Hooghly District, marking another major milestone in one of the world’s largest direct income support programmes for farmers.
Under the latest instalment, more than ₹18,880 crore will be transferred directly into the bank accounts of over 9.44 crore farmers across the country. The disbursement will include benefits for more than 2.18 crore women farmers, further strengthening financial support for the agricultural sector.
The event, being organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare with support from the Government of West Bengal, is expected to witness participation from over one crore farmers through video conferencing at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), ICAR institutes, agricultural universities, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), agriculture mandis, PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras, cooperative societies and village-level events nationwide.
PM-KISAN Disbursement Crosses ₹4.46 Lakh Crore
With the release of the 23rd instalment, total financial assistance provided under PM-KISAN since its launch on February 24, 2019, will exceed ₹4.46 lakh crore.
The scheme provides eligible farmer families with annual income support through direct benefit transfers, helping strengthen rural livelihoods and agricultural sustainability.
West Bengal is expected to receive a significant share of the latest disbursement. More than 45.35 lakh farmers in the state will receive over ₹907.21 crore under the 23rd instalment. Cumulative PM-KISAN transfers to West Bengal will cross ₹15,055 crore since the scheme was extended to beneficiaries in the state.
The programme will be attended by West Bengal Governor R. N. Ravi, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of State Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar and Member of Parliament Samik Bhattacharya, among others.
PM-KISAN Utsav Diwas to be Celebrated Nationwide
To mark the occasion, the government will organize awareness programmes at state, district, block and Gram Panchayat levels under the banner of “PM-KISAN Utsav Diwas.”
The events will showcase various Central and State government schemes aimed at improving farmers’ income, agricultural productivity and rural development.
Major Agricultural Initiatives to be Launched
Alongside the PM-KISAN instalment release, the Prime Minister will launch and inaugurate several key agricultural initiatives in West Bengal, including crop insurance, digital agriculture, natural farming and district-focused agricultural development programmes.
PM Fasal Bima Yojana Extended to West Bengal
A major announcement during the event will be the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) in West Bengal.
Launched nationally in 2016, PMFBY is regarded as the world’s largest crop insurance programme and provides financial protection against crop losses arising from natural disasters, adverse weather conditions, pests and diseases.
During the 2026-27 agricultural year, the scheme aims to provide insurance coverage to nearly 1.10 crore farmers across approximately 30 lakh hectares of farmland in West Bengal.
The programme is expected to protect crops with an estimated insured value of ₹28,140 crore. To keep premiums affordable for farmers, the Centre and the state government will jointly provide premium subsidies of around ₹777 crore.
The Ministry said that the move will strengthen income security and risk management for farmers across the state.
Digital Agriculture Mission to Roll Out AgriStack in Bengal
The Prime Minister will also launch AgriStack in West Bengal under the broader Digital Agriculture Mission, a national initiative with an outlay of ₹2,817 crore.
The mission leverages digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence and space technologies to transform agricultural service delivery.
AgriStack will create a unified digital platform enabling farmers to access services such as fertiliser distribution, Kisan Credit Cards, Direct Benefit Transfers, Crop insurance services, andProcurement under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system.
The Ministry said the platform will improve transparency, streamline service delivery and strengthen digital governance in the agriculture sector.
Natural Farming Mission to Benefit Over 43,000 Farmers
The event will also mark the launch of the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) in West Bengal.
The centrally sponsored scheme, launched in November 2024, promotes chemical-free agriculture based on traditional Indian farming practices. It focuses on reducing input costs, improving soil health and enhancing climate resilience.
Under West Bengal’s Annual Action Plan for 2026-27, the mission will establish 346 natural farming clusters covering 17,300 hectares and benefiting approximately 43,250 farmers.
The programme will also facilitate the creation of Bio-Input Resource Centres and mobilise Krishi Sakhis to encourage wider adoption of eco-friendly farming methods.
PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana to Cover Four Bengal Districts
PM Modi will also initiate implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) in West Bengal.
The scheme, launched in October 2025, focuses on improving agricultural productivity in districts with low productivity, low cropping intensity and limited institutional credit access.
In West Bengal, PMDDKY will cover four districts Purulia, Darjeeling, Alipurduar and Jhargram.
The programme aims to improve crop productivity, promote diversification and sustainable farming, strengthen irrigation and post-harvest infrastructure, enhance institutional credit access and ensure convergence of multiple development schemes.
