PM-KISAN 24th Instalment Released: Income Support, Direct Benefit Transfer and Farm Infrastructure
The Centre released the 24th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) at an event in Banaskantha, Gujarat.
About ₹18,690 crore was sent to more than 9.34 crore farmers, straight into their bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) (money sent by the government directly to a person's bank account, with no middleman).
Since the scheme began in February 2019, about ₹4.47 lakh crore had been paid to farmers in the first 23 instalments.
At the same event, 521 units built with loans under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) were dedicated to farmers, and 12 horticulture clusters (zones focused on fruit, vegetable and flower crops) were opened.
Under the AIF, about ₹1.75 lakh crore of investment has gone into more than 2.28 lakh projects such as warehouses, cold storage and primary processing centres.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN): Direct Farmer Income Support
PM-KISAN is a central government scheme that gives every eligible farmer family that owns farmland ₹6,000 a year as income support. The money comes in three equal instalments of ₹2,000, paid directly into the farmer's Aadhaar-linked bank account. The Centre pays the full cost, so it is a Central Sector Scheme. It is run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The 24th instalment, worth about ₹18,690 crore for over 9.34 crore farmers, is one more four-monthly payment under this scheme. It takes the total paid since 2019 to well over ₹4.6 lakh crore.
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): Sending Welfare Money Straight to People
Direct Benefit Transfer, or DBT, is the system by which the government sends money (or subsidy) directly into the bank account of the person who is supposed to get it. There is no middleman, no ration-shop owner, no local official handing out cash. The person is identified mostly through their Aadhaar number, and the money moves electronically. PM-KISAN, LPG subsidy, scholarships, MGNREGA wages and old-age pensions all use DBT today.
The ₹18,690 crore released under PM-KISAN reached more than 9.34 crore farmers through DBT, landing directly in Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. This is why e-KYC and Aadhaar seeding are compulsory for PM-KISAN: without them, the DBT system cannot find the farmer's account.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): Cheap Loans for Farm Storage and Processing
The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, or AIF, is a central government scheme that helps farmers, farmer groups and agri-businesses borrow money cheaply to build things like warehouses, cold storage rooms and small processing units. The government does not give the building money itself. Instead, banks give the loan, and the government pays part of the interest and guarantees the loan. The scheme has a financing facility of ₹1 lakh crore. It is a Central Sector Scheme run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Alongside the PM-KISAN instalment, 521 units built with AIF loans were dedicated to farmers. PM-KISAN gives farmers a small, regular cash cushion, while the AIF tries to raise their income in another way: by helping them store and process crops so they can sell at better prices.
- PM-KISAN 24th instalment: about ₹18,690 crore to over 9.34 crore farmers, released from Banaskantha, Gujarat
- PM-KISAN: ₹6,000 a year in three instalments of ₹2,000; launched 24 February 2019; 100% Centre-funded Central Sector Scheme
- Total paid in the first 23 instalments: about ₹4.47 lakh crore
- AIF units dedicated at the event: 521; horticulture clusters opened: 12
- AIF so far: about ₹1.75 lakh crore invested in over 2.28 lakh projects
- AIF: ₹1 lakh crore facility; 3% interest subvention on loans up to ₹2 crore for 7 years; scheme period till 2032-33
- DBT began 1 January 2013; DBT Mission in the Cabinet Secretariat since 14 September 2015