Lok Sabha Question No. 348 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-04
Subject: Transparency of Fund Disbursal under PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Arun Bharti

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 348

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 TH  FEBRUARY, 2025

## TRANSPARENCY OF FUND DISBURSAL UNDER PM-KISAN SAMMAN NIDHI SCHEME

348. SHRI ARUN BHARTI: Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

(a) the manner in which the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi has leveraged technology to streamline beneficiary identification and ensure transparency in fund disbursal; (b) the measures that have been introduced to integrate PM-Kisan with other welfare schemes like crop insurance or soil health initiatives, enhancing its holistic impact on farmers' welfare; (c) the manner in which the scheme addresses challenges faced by tenant farmers or those without formal land records; (d)  the  manner  in  which  the  PM-Kisan  has  influenced  rural  consumption  patterns, especially in terms of investments in agricultural inputs or basic necessities; and (e) the steps taken to incorporate feedback from beneficiaries to improve the scheme's reach and efficiency over successive repetitions?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) to (c): 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 installments into the Aadhaar seeded bank accounts of farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

A farmer-centric digital infrastructure ensures that the benefits of the scheme reach all the farmers across the country without involvement of any intermediaries. The  beneficiary  data  under  the  scheme  is  verified  by  leveraging  digital  public infrastructures and advanced validation mechanisms. Aadhaar authentication serves as a key tool to establish the identity of beneficiaries, while cross-verifications with Income Tax records and the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) ensure compliance with eligibility criteria. Further, to ensure that the benefits are provided only to the eligible beneficiaries, land record seeding, Aadhaar seeding with bank accounts, and e-KYC have been made mandatory under the Scheme. In addition to the digital validations,  all  States  and  Union  Territories  conduct  intensive  physical  verification drives to ascertain adherence to the eligibility conditions stipulated under the Scheme. This  comprehensive  approach  combines  technological  advancements  with  manual checks to ensure transparency, accuracy, and efficiency in the delivery of benefits. Maintaining absolute transparency in registering and verifying beneficiaries, the Government of India has disbursed over Rs. 3.46 lakh crore in 18 installments since the  scheme's  inception.  The  PM-Kisan  Scheme  is  applicable  only  to  cultivable

landholding farmers.

(d):  An  independent  study  conducted  by  the  International  Food  Policy  Research Institute (IFPRI) in 2019. According to the study, funds disbursed under the PM-KISAN have  acted  as  a  catalyst  in  rural  economic  growth,  aided  in  alleviating  the  credit constraints of farmers, and increased investments in agricultural inputs. Further, the scheme has enhanced farmers' risk-taking capacity, leading them to undertake riskier but comparatively productive investments. The funds received by recipients under PMKISAN are not only helping them with their agricultural needs, but it is also catering to their  other  expenses  such  as  education,  medical,  marriage,  etc.  These  are  the indicators  of  the  positive  impact  of  the  scheme  on  the  farmers  of  the  country.  PM KISAN has truly been a game changer for the farming community of our country.

(e):  The  Government  is  committed  to  continuous  improvement  and  ensuring  the scheme's effectiveness. Under various initiatives, a comprehensive feedback mechanism  has  been  implemented.  In  this  regard,  the  services  of  the  Kisan  Call Centres  (KCC),  is  also  utilized  to  gather  the  feedback  of  the  scheme  through nationwide telephonic surveys. The findings from these surveys help the Department in further improving the implementation of the scheme.

*****