Lok Sabha Question No. 205 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-10
Subject: Benefits to SC/ST/OBC Farmers under PM-KISAN Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Gumma Thanuja Rani, Shri P V Midhun Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 205

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2024

## BENEFITS TO SC/ST/OBC FARMERS UNDER PM-KISAN SCHEME

- *205.  DR. GUMMA THANUJA RANI:

SHRI P V MIDHUN REDDY:

Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state: (a) the total number of SC/ST/OBC farmers who have benefited from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme since its inception; (b) the percentage of women farmers amongst the above category; (c) whether any special accommodations have been made for landless SC/ST/OBC agricultural laborers under this scheme; and (d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof,  including  measures  taken  to  address  issues  of  land ownership documentation for SC/ST farmers to facilitate their inclusion in the scheme or associated Government programmes?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the table of the House.

STATEMENT MADE IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 205 REGARDING BENEFITS TO SC/ST/OBC FARMERS UNDER PM-KISAN SCHEME RAISED BY DR. GUMMA THANUJA RANI, MP AND SHRI P V MIDHUN REDDY, MP DUE FOR REPLY ON 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2024.

(a) & (b): The  PM-KISAN  scheme  is  a  central  sector  scheme  launched  in February 2019 by the Hon'ble Prime Minister to supplement the financial needs of land-holding farmers. Under the scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000/- per year is transferred  in  three  equal  instalments,  into  the  Aadhaar  seeded  bank  accounts  of farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

A farmer-centric digital infrastructure has ensured the benefits of the scheme reach  all  the  farmers  across  the  country  without  involvement  of  any  middlemen. Maintaining  absolute  transparency  in  registering  and  verifying  beneficiaries,  the Government of India has disbursed over Rs 3.46 lakh Cr to farmers in 18 installments since inception. The 18 th  instalment of the PM-KISAN Scheme was released to 9.58 Crore beneficiaries. Category-wise and gender-wise break-up of the farmers benefitted in 18 th  instalment is as follows:

| Category   | Male        | Female      | Trans.   | Total       | %of Women farmers   |
|------------|-------------|-------------|----------|-------------|---------------------|
| Others     | 5,80,70,139 | 1,73,21,938 | 21,277   | 7,54,13,354 | 22.97%              |
| SC         | 88,71,637   | 27,74,568   | 3,249    | 1,16,49,454 | 23.82%              |
| ST         | 62,91,658   | 25,40,535   | 2,634    | 88,34,827   | 28.76%              |

No separate data for OBC farmers is maintained and they are included in the 'Others' category.

(c) & (d): No  Sir,  there  is  no  provision  of  providing  accommodation  under  PMKISAN Scheme. The PM-KISAN scheme is applicable only for cultivable land-holding farmers.  However,  to  address  land  ownership  documentation  challenges  faced  by farmers, including those belonging to SC/ST/OBC communities in specific regions of the country, the Government has implemented the following measures to ensure their seamless inclusion in the PM-KISAN scheme:

- (i) Considering the community based land ownership rights in North Eastern States, the mandatory condition of land seeding has been relaxed for all North-Eastern States (except Assam)  where  a large chunk of the beneficiaries belong to the ST category.
- (ii) In Manipur, the certificate issued by the Village authority and authenticated by  the  concerned  sub-divisional  officers  is  treated  as  landownership document  and  based  on  this;  their  registration  was  allowed  under  the scheme.
- (iii) Similarly, for Nagaland State the certificate issued by the village council/authority/village chief regarding land holding, verified by the administrative  head  of  the  circle/sub-division  and  countersigned  by  the Deputy Commissioner of the District is treated as landownership document under the scheme.
- (iv) In  Jharkhand,  the  Government has  decided to  accept  the  duly  approved 'Vanshavali (Lineage)' as proof of land ownership under the scheme.
- (v) FRA (Forest Rights Act) patta holders under the Scheduled Tribes and other traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, were considered eligible under the PM-Kisan Scheme, subject to other eligibility conditions.

****