Executive Summary:
This document is the response to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 232 regarding potential expansion of the PMKISAN scheme, answered on August 5, 2025. It clarifies the current status of the scheme, including financial support, beneficiary eligibility, and technological interventions. It also addresses the possibility of replicating Tamil Nadu's "Uzhavan App" model and outlines existing support systems for farmers.
Key Points / Main Content:
PMKISAN Scheme Overview:
* Launched in February 2019 to supplement farmers' financial needs.
* Provides Rs 6,000 annually in three installments via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
* Over Rs 3.90 lakh Cr disbursed in 20 installments as of 04.08.2025.
* Requires Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts for benefit transfer.
* Land seeding is mandatory along with Aadhaar based payment and eKYC.
Eligibility and Coverage:
* Currently, no proposal to expand coverage or increase financial support.
* Ownership of cultivable land remains the primary eligibility criterion.
Technological Interventions:
* Integration with PFMS, UIDAI, and the Income Tax Department to improve transparency and efficiency.
* Aadhaar-based payment ensures benefits are transferred to the Aadhaar-seeded account of the beneficiary.
Alternative Support Systems:
* Kisan Call Centre provides advisory services on practices, weather, markets, and government schemes.
* Toll-free number 18001801551 accessible via mobile and landline.
* Farm Tele Advisors (FTAs) with relevant qualifications respond in regional languages.
* National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) offers real-time pest management advisories via mobile app and web portal.
Impact Analysis:
Farmers:
Impact: Benefit from financial assistance (Rs. 6,000 annually) if they own cultivable land and have Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts. Can access information and support via Kisan Call Centre and NPSS. Those without land ownership are currently excluded from PMKISAN.
Action Required: Ensure Aadhaar seeding of bank accounts. Utilize Kisan Call Centre and NPSS for information and support.
Government of India:
Impact: Responsible for implementing and managing the PMKISAN scheme, ensuring transparent and efficient disbursement of funds, and maintaining the Kisan Call Centre and NPSS.
Action Required: Continue monitoring and improving the scheme's implementation, address farmer inquiries, and provide advisory services.
States/Union Territories:
Impact: Responsible for verifying farmer data and providing it to the PMKISAN portal for DBT.
Action Required: Ensure accurate and timely verification of farmer data for PMKISAN.
Farm Tele Advisors (FTAs):
Impact: Serve as primary point of contact at Kisan Call Centers.
Action Required: Provide effective support, responding to farmer queries and advising them in regional languages.
Key Entities Referenced
PMKISAN: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, a central sector scheme to supplement the financial needs of farmers with cultivable landholding.
Thiru D M Kathir Anand: Member of Parliament who raised the question regarding expansion under PMKISAN.
Tamil Nadu: State in India whose direct benefit transfer model and 'Uzhavan App' are referenced in the question.
Vellore: District in Tamil Nadu, where tenant and sharecropping farmers are reportedly excluded from PMKISAN.
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): A mode of transferring financial benefits directly into the Aadhaar seeded bank accounts of farmers.
Aadhaar: A 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India. Mentioned in context of seeding bank accounts for DBT.
Kisan Call Centre: A scheme to provide support to farmers via telephonic communication, including a Toll-Free Number.
National Pest Surveillance System NPSS: An initiative to enhance the surveillance and management of pest-related diseases in real time.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 232
TO BE ANSWERED ON 05TH AUGUST, 2025
EXPANSION UNDER PM-KISAN
*232. THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी be
pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to expand the coverage and quantum of financial support
under the PM-KISAN scheme in line with Tamil Nadu’s successful direct benefit transfer (DBT)
model that ensures seamless credit to marginal farmers;
(b) whether the Government is aware that in regions like Anaicut, K.V. Kuppam, Vaniyambadi,
Ambur and Gudiyatham in Vellore, several tenant and sharecropping farmers remain outside
PMKISAN due to landholding norms, if so, the details thereof;
(c) if so, whether any steps are being taken to include such farmers in welfare schemes; and
(d) whether the Union Government will consider replicating Tamil Nadu’s "Uzhavan App" model
to provide real-time weather, market and advisory data?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the table of the House.STATEMENT MADE IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION
NO. 232 REGARDING EXPANSION UNDER PM-KISAN RAISED BY THIRU D M KATHIR
ANAND, MP DUE FOR REPLY ON 05TH AUGUST, 2025.
(a) to (c): The PM-KISAN scheme is a central sector scheme launched in February 2019 by
the Hon’ble Prime Minister to supplement the financial needs of farmers with cultivable land-holding.
Under the scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000/- per year is transferred in three equal instalments,
into the Aadhaar seeded bank accounts of farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.
A farmer-centric digital infrastructure has ensured that the benefits of the scheme reach all
eligible farmers across the country without involvement of any intermediaries. Maintaining absolute
transparency in registering and verifying beneficiaries, as on 04.08.2025, the Government of India
has disbursed over Rs 3.90 lakh Cr to farmers in 20 installments since inception of the Scheme.
Benefits of the PM-KISAN scheme are transferred to the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit
Transfer (DBT) mode, based on the verified data received from the States/UTs on the PM-KISAN
portal. To ease the registration process for farmers and bring in transparency and efficiency in
implementation of the Scheme, several technological interventions were introduced, including
integration with PFMS, UIDAI, and the Income Tax Department. Further, land seeding was made
mandatory along with Aadhaar based payment and e-KYC. Implementation of Aadhaar based
payment has ensured that the benefit of the Scheme are transferred to the Aadhaar seeded account
of the beneficiary. It has replaced account based payment which were prone to data entry errors
and to changes in account details due to bank mergers. These interventions under PM-KISAN
ensure seamless credit of Scheme benefits to beneficiaries.
Currently, there is no proposal under consideration to expand the coverage and quantum of
financial support under the Pradhan Mantri Kishan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme. Further,
ownership of cultivable landholding remains the primary criteria to avail benefits under the Scheme.
(d): Currently, there is no proposal under consideration. However, the Government is
implementing the Kisan Call Centre scheme to provide comprehensive support to farmers by
addressing their inquiries and providing advisory related to various aspects such as the Package of
Practices, weather updates, market advisories, and government schemes, via telephonic
communication in their preferred languages. These Call Centres operate from strategic locations
throughout the country, ensuring coverage across all States and Union Territories.
A dedicated common eleven-digit Toll-Free Number, 1800-180-1551, has been established
for the Kisan Call Centre. This number is accessible through both mobile phones and landlines. The
agents at the Kisan Call Centre, known as Farm Tele Advisors (FTAs), are equipped with relevant
academic qualifications, thereby enabling them to respond effectively to farmers’ queries and advise
them in regional languages.
Moreover, to disseminate tailored pest management advisories for major crops, the
Government launched the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS). This initiative aims to
enhance the surveillance and management of pest-related diseases in real time, utilizing a mobile
application alongside a web portal designed for the benefit of farmers nationwide.
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