The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme, launched in February 2019, aims to provide financial aid to eligible farmers. Under this scheme, farmers receive Rs 6,000 annually in three equal installments.
However, it has been found that many ineligible farmers were receiving these benefits, which led the government to recover Rs 416 crore.
Government’s Recovery Efforts
To ensure transparency, the government has made it mandatory for states and union territories (UTs) to recover the funds from ineligible farmers.
The following categories of farmers are not eligible for the scheme:
Income Tax Payers
Employees of Public Sector Units (PSUs)
State and Central Government Employees
Constitutional Office Holders (both former and present)
Landlords
Former and Present Ministers, Mayors, District Panchayat Presidents
Retired Employees receiving pensions of Rs 10,000 or more
Professionals such as doctors, engineers, lawyers, chartered accountants, and architects
What is the PM-Kisan Scheme?
The PM-Kisan Scheme provides Rs 6,000 annually to eligible farmers in three installments of Rs 2,000 each.
The money is transferred directly to the farmers’ bank accounts linked to their Aadhaar via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), ensuring no middlemen are involved and promoting transparency.
Eligibility and Conditions
To receive the benefit under the scheme, farmers must fulfill the following conditions:
Aadhaar Linking: Farmers must link their bank accounts with Aadhaar.
Land Ownership: Only those with agricultural land in their name are eligible.
eKYC: To prevent fake claims, farmers must complete eKYC. If a farmer doesn’t complete the process, their installments will be temporarily halted, but they will receive the pending payments once they fulfill the requirements.
Voluntary Return of PM-Kisan Benefits
Farmers who are ineligible but have been receiving benefits can voluntarily return the money.
They can do this by visiting the government portal and selecting the option to give up their eligibility.
Strict Actions by the Government
The government is taking strong measures to ensure the PM-Kisan Scheme is more transparent and that only eligible farmers receive the benefits.
Any ineligible farmers continuing to take advantage of the scheme will be required to return the money, and efforts will be made to ensure that eligible farmers receive their payments on time.
