New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The Union Cabinet on Friday approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme for another five years, from 2026-27 to 2030-31, with a financial outlay of Rs 3.15 lakh crore, reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to providing direct income support to farmers across the country.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare said the extension would ensure uninterrupted financial assistance to eligible farmer families while strengthening investment in agriculture and improving rural livelihoods.
Introduced in February 2019, the PM-KISAN scheme provides eligible landholding farmer families with Rs 6,000 annually in three equal instalments through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism. The ministry said Aadhaar-based authentication, digital verification and the DBT platform have enabled transparent and efficient transfer of benefits directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
According to the ministry, more than Rs 4.47 lakh crore has been transferred to farmers through 23 instalments since the scheme’s launch. Under the 23rd instalment alone, over Rs 18,984 crore was credited to more than 9.49 crore farmers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the scheme disbursed more than Rs 1.71 lakh crore to support the farming community.
The ministry also highlighted that women farmers have received more than Rs 1.06 lakh crore under the scheme, with nearly one in every four beneficiaries being a woman farmer.
Officials said the financial support has enabled farmers to make timely investments in seeds, fertilisers, irrigation facilities, agricultural machinery and other farming inputs, while reducing dependence on informal credit sources and improving the financial stability of rural households.
The ministry cited an evaluation by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) of NITI Aayog, which found that more than 92 per cent of beneficiaries used the assistance for agricultural activities and farm investments. Around 85 per cent reported improved farm income and reduced reliance on informal borrowing.
The ministry further noted that between 2020-21 and 2025-26, the area under cultivation increased by around 9.65 per cent, agricultural productivity rose by about 10.53 per cent and total foodgrain production grew by approximately 21.18 per cent, attributing the improvement to sustained support measures, including PM-KISAN.
Describing the scheme as a key example of Digital India’s governance model, the ministry said Aadhaar-enabled authentication and digital beneficiary verification have ensured transparent delivery of benefits while enhancing farmers’ confidence and capacity to invest in agriculture.
It added that the extension of PM-KISAN is expected to further strengthen agricultural productivity, reduce farming risks and contribute to the growth of the rural economy, while remaining a central component of the government’s strategy to empower farmers and support the vision of a developed India.
