The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme from 2026-27 to 2030-31 with a total financial outlay of ₹3.15 lakh crore. This decision reinforces the government's commitment to farmer prosperity as the foundation of national prosperity.
Under the scheme, eligible landholding farmer families receive financial assistance of ₹6,000 per year, transferred directly into their bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in three equal instalments. The scheme utilizes Aadhaar authentication and digital verification to ensure transparency and efficiency.
Since its launch in February 2019, the scheme has achieved significant milestones: over ₹4.47 lakh crore has been transferred directly to farmers' bank accounts through 23 instalments. The 23rd instalment alone benefited more than 9.49 crore farmers with over ₹18,984 crore released. During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than ₹1.71 lakh crore was disbursed to provide financial assistance to farmers. Women farmers have received more than ₹1.06 lakh crore under PM-KISAN, with nearly one out of every four beneficiaries being a woman farmer.
Independent evaluation by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) of NITI Aayog confirmed the scheme's positive impact: over 92% of beneficiaries reported utilizing the assistance for agricultural activities and investment, while approximately 85% confirmed improvement in agricultural income and reduced dependence on informal credit.
The period from 2020-21 to 2025-26 saw significant agricultural growth with area under cultivation increasing by approximately 9.65%, productivity by approximately 10.53%, and total foodgrain production by approximately 21.18%, reflecting the comprehensive support provided to farmers under PM-KISAN. The scheme represents a successful model of technology-driven farmer welfare and supports India's journey toward an Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.