The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31, with a financial outlay of ₹3.15 lakh crore. The decision aims to ensure continued income support to eligible farmer families through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
Launched in February 2019, the PM-KISAN scheme provides ₹6,000 annually to eligible landholding farmer families in three equal instalments, transferred directly into their bank accounts. The government said the scheme has emerged as a transparent and technology-driven model of farmer welfare through Aadhaar-based authentication, digital verification and the DBT mechanism.
Since its launch, more than ₹4.47 lakh crore has been transferred directly into the bank accounts of farmers through 23 instalments. Under the 23rd instalment, over 9.49 crore farmers received financial assistance amounting to more than ₹18,984 crore. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the scheme disbursed over ₹1.71 lakh crore to support farmers. Women beneficiaries have received more than ₹1.06 lakh crore under the scheme, with nearly one in every four beneficiaries being a woman farmer.
According to the government, the financial assistance provided under PM-KISAN has enabled farmers to make timely investments in seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, farm machinery and other agricultural inputs, while reducing dependence on informal sources of credit and improving the financial stability of rural households.
The government also cited findings from an evaluation conducted by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) of NITI Aayog, which found that more than 92 per cent of beneficiaries used the assistance for agricultural activities and farm investments. Around 85 per cent reported an improvement in agricultural income and reduced dependence on informal credit.
The government noted that between 2020-21 and 2025-26, the area under cultivation increased by approximately 9.65 per cent, agricultural productivity rose by around 10.53 per cent, and total foodgrain production recorded growth of about 21.18 per cent. It said these trends reflect the broader support being provided to the agriculture sector through PM-KISAN and other farmer-centric initiatives.
Describing the scheme as an example of the effective implementation of the Digital India initiative, the government said Aadhaar-based authentication, digital beneficiary verification and direct benefit transfers have ensured timely, transparent and accountable delivery of financial assistance.
