Six years after its launch, PM-KISAN has transferred ?3.95 lakh crore to over 11 crore farm families, making it India’s largest DBT scheme. While it has offered predictable cash and crisis relief, gaps remain — tenants and landless farmers are excluded, and inflation erodes value. ABC Live’s audit explains why the scheme must evolve to ensure true farmer security.
New Delhi (ABC Live): The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) has now completed six years since its launch in February 2019. On 26 September 2025, the Union Agriculture Minister released the 21st instalment, transferring ?540 crore to over 27 lakh farmers in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttarakhand, three states devastated by floods and landslides (PIB Press Release).
Since its inception, PM-KISAN has disbursed nearly ?3.95 lakh crore to more than 11 crore farm families, including 3 crore women beneficiaries. The scheme has strengthened financial inclusion and worked as a shock absorber during crises such as COVID-19 and climate disasters. However, major gaps remain: tenant and landless farmers are excluded, women are still underrepresented, and the real value of ?6,000 per year is falling due to inflation.
Therefore, ABC Live’s audit argues that PM-KISAN must now focus on better inclusion, integration with risk protection, and fiscal efficiency so that it evolves from being just income support into a genuine safety net for farmer families.
Relief Amidst Ruin: The 21st Instalment
The 21st instalment was not routine. Instead, it was specially directed towards flood- and landslide-affected farmers in HP, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. In this round, ?540 crore reached 27 lakh farmers, including around 2.7 lakh women, giving them immediate liquidity at a time of urgent need. (PIB Press Release)
Moreover, the release included a clear state-wise breakdown:
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Himachal Pradesh: 8,01,045 farmers, ?160.21 cr
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Punjab: 11,09,895 farmers, ?221.98 cr
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Uttarakhand: 7,89,128 farmers, ?157.83 cr
As a result, the instalment provided not just money but also reassurance that the state stands with farmers in times of natural disaster.
PM-KISAN in Numbers (2019–2025)
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Cumulative transfers: ~?3.95 lakh crore
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Beneficiaries: Over 11 crore families (PIB)
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Women beneficiaries: 3.056 crore (Sansad reply PDF)
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Recent instalments:
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Leakage control: ?335 crore recovered from ineligible recipients
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Farm debt for context: Average agricultural household debt ?74,121 (MOSPI Report)
Thus, PM-KISAN has grown into one of India’s largest DBT schemes, rivalling entire ministry budgets in scale.
What Has Changed After Six Years
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Liquidity Cushion
For smallholders in UP, Bihar, Kerala, and NE states, PM-KISAN accounts for 10–15% of farm household income. Consequently, this predictable cash helps buy seeds, fertiliser, and pay micro-loans. -
Crisis Absorber
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During COVID-19, instalments were advanced to ease rural distress.
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During floods and droughts, payments acted as fast disaster relief.
Therefore, farmers see the scheme not only as income support but also as an emergency shield.
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Farmer Recognition
Farmers moved from being invisible subsidy users to direct, named beneficiaries. Moreover, this visibility has increased their social and political recognition. -
Structural Limits
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?500/month is too little against input costs.
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Tenant farmers & landless remain excluded.
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Women remain underrepresented due to land ownership patterns.
Thus, while progress is clear, structural issues remain unresolved.
Unequal Relevance Across States
The scheme’s impact is not uniform. In fact, it varies sharply by average landholding size.
| State | Avg. Holding (ha) | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Kerala | 0.18 | Very high — meaningful for fragmented plots |
| Bihar | 0.39 | High — but tenant exclusion skews impact |
| UP | 0.73 | High — ~12% of farm income |
| NE States | 0.20–0.30 | Very high — small holdings, more women |
| MP | 1.77 | Moderate — useful but not transformative |
| Maharashtra | 1.44 | Moderate — especially in drought areas |
| Punjab | 3.62 | Low — symbolic given high input costs |
| Haryana | 2.22 | Low-moderate |
| Rajasthan | 3.07 | Low — tenants excluded |
As a result, PM-KISAN is survival-critical in Kerala and Bihar, but almost token in Punjab and Haryana.
How PM-KISAN Can Evolve
1. Inclusion
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Extend to tenants, sharecroppers, and landless labourers.
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Promote joint pattas to raise women’s participation.
2. Integration
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Bundle with PMFBY crop insurance (Dashboard), soil health, and credit.
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Use instalment cycles to connect farmers to resilience schemes.
3. Fiscal Efficiency
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Rationalise fertiliser/power subsidies.
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Merge overlapping schemes to cut duplication.
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Recycle leakage recoveries into top-ups.
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Leverage climate finance and CSR for disaster-linked support.
Thus, reforms are possible without putting extra pressure on the exchequer.
Adding Insurance: The Real Game-Changer
To give real security, PM-KISAN should integrate:
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Life cover (PMJJBY): ?2–3 lakh
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Accident cover (PMSBY): ?2 lakh
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Education support for children in case of a farmer’s death
Premiums are small (~?436/year). With cost-sharing, farmers still net over ?5,500/year. Consequently, families would not fall into destitution after tragedy.
Policy Takeaways
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Strengths: Scale, reliability, and role during crises.
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Weaknesses: Exclusion of tenants/landless, low value, and gender gap.
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Opportunities: Add insurance, credit, soil health, and women-first titles.
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Threats: Fiscal strain if reforms are ignored, and risks of politicisation.
Conclusion
PM-KISAN has delivered cash at scale, reshaping rural welfare. Farmers are now visible, recognised, and financially included. However, the scheme is still a floor, not a ladder.
Therefore, the next phase must bring inclusion, risk protection, and efficiency, so that predictability turns into protection and dignity.
“PM-KISAN gave farmers predictability. Its next phase must give them security.”
Sources
Also, Read
Performance Audit of India’s Farm Support Schemes 2025
