Context

Good monsoon may have laid the foundation for record foodgrain production, but it was the launch of schemes like PM-Kisan that has set the ball rolling for structural reforms in the agriculture sector to achieve the target of doubling farmers' income.

About

About the scheme

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from Government of India.
• Under the Scheme an income support of Rs.6000/- per year is provided to all farmer families across the country in three equal installments of Rs.2000/- each every four months.
• The entire responsibility of identification of beneficiary farmer families rests with the State / UT Governments.
• The fund is directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
• Farmers covered under the Exclusion Criteria of the Operational Guidelines are not eligible for the benefit of the Scheme.
• For enrollment, the farmer is required to approach the local patwari / revenue officer / Nodal Officer (PM-Kisan) nominated by the State Government.
• The Common Service Centres (CSCs) have also been authorized to do registration of the farmers for the Scheme upon payment of fees.
• Farmers can also do their self-registration through the Farmers Corner in the portal.
• Farmers can also edit their names in PM-Kisan database as per their Aadhaar database / card through the Farmers Corner in the portal.
• Farmers can also know the status of their payment through the Farmers Corner in the portal.

Major Objective of the scheme

• With a view to provide income support to all land holding eligible farmer families, the Government has launched PM-KISAN.
• The scheme aims to supplement the financial needs of the farmers in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income.

Definition of farmer’s family

• A landholder farmer’s family is defined as “a family comprising of husband, wife and minor children who own cultivable land as per land records of the concerned State/UT”.
• The existing land-ownership system will be used for identification of beneficiaries for calculation of benefit.

Setting up of Project Monitoring Unit (PMU)

• A Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) at Central level will be set up in DAC&FW in the form of a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• This PMU shall be tasked with the responsibility of overall monitoring of the scheme and shall be headed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
• PMU shall also undertake publicity campaign (Information, Education and Communication-IEC).
• Each State/UT Government will designate a Nodal Department for implementation of the scheme and coordinating with Central Government with regard to implementation of Income Support Scheme.