The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme was started in 2018 to help small and marginal farmers in India. Under this scheme, the government gives ₹6,000 per year to farmers in three installments of ₹2,000 each. This money is meant to support farmers in buying seeds, fertilizers, and other farming needs. However, recent reports show that more than half of the farmers have been left out of the 20th installment. Let’s understand why this is happening and what challenges farmers are facing.
Who Gets Left Out? Understanding the Rules
The PM-KISAN scheme has some rules that decide who cannot get the benefits. For example:
- Farmers who own large pieces of land managed by institutions are not eligible.
- If any member of a farmer’s family is a government employee or holds a high post, they cannot get the benefits.
- Doctors, engineers, lawyers, and other professionals who are registered with their professional bodies are also excluded.
These rules are meant to ensure that only small and needy farmers get the money. But sometimes, even eligible farmers are left out due to other reasons.
Why Are Farmers Missing Out?
There are two main reasons why many farmers are not getting the 20th installment: e-KYC and land verification.
1. e-KYC: A Big Hurdle
e-KYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) is a process where farmers have to verify their identity using their Aadhaar card. This is done to make sure the money goes to the right person. But many farmers are unable to complete this step because:
- Many farmers, especially in rural areas, are not familiar with online processes.
- In some villages, there is no proper internet connection to complete e-KYC.
- The government has not provided an offline way to complete e-KYC, which makes it harder for farmers who don’t use smartphones or computers.
2. Land Verification: Who Owns the Land?
To get the benefits, farmers must have cultivable land in their name. But many farmers face issues here
- In some cases, farmers don’t have proper documents to prove they own the land.
- Sometimes, the names of farmers are not correctly recorded in government databases, leading to exclusion.
Other Problems
1. No Proper Database
The government does not have a complete list of all farmers who are eligible for the scheme. For example, details of farmers who are part of other schemes like Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (crop insurance) or Soil Health Cards are not properly linked. This makes it hard to identify all eligible farmers.
2. Lack of Awareness
Many farmers don’t even know about the PM-KISAN scheme or what they need to do to get the benefits. They are unaware of the e-KYC process or the importance of updating their land records.
How Does This Affect Farmers?
For many farmers, the ₹6,000 from PM-KISAN is a big help. They use this money to buy seeds, fertilizers, and other things needed for farming. When they don’t get this money, it becomes harder for them to manage their expenses. This is especially tough when the cost of farming inputs is rising, and the weather is unpredictable.
What Can Be Done?
To make sure more farmers get the benefits, the government needs to:
- Use local radio, TV, and village meetings to tell farmers about the scheme and its requirements.
- Provide offline options for e-KYC and train farmers on how to complete the process.
- Update land records and help farmers get proper documents to prove ownership.
- Link all farmer-related schemes to create a single database of eligible farmers.
The PM-KISAN scheme is a great initiative to support farmers, but more than half of them are missing out on the 20th installment due to issues like e-KYC, land verification, and lack of awareness. By solving these problems, the government can ensure that the benefits reach all eligible farmers. This will not only help farmers but also improve the overall success of the scheme. After all, when farmers are supported, the entire country benefits.