Executive Summary:
The Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare addresses concerns raised in Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1453 regarding irregularities in the PMKISAN scheme, particularly in Assam. The reply details actions taken to address these issues, including disciplinary proceedings, fund recovery, and strengthened monitoring mechanisms since the scheme's launch in February 2019. As of July 15, 2025, the AI-based Kisan eMitra Chatbot has resolved over 95 lakh queries from 53 lakh farmers.
Key Points / Main Content:
PMKISAN Scheme Overview:
* A central sector scheme launched in February 2019 providing Rs 6,000 per year to cultivable landholding farmers via DBT.
* Over Rs 3.69 lakh Cr disbursed to farmers in 19 installments since inception.
* Cultivable landholding is the primary eligibility criteria, subject to certain exclusions.
Irregularities in Assam:
* Irregularities reported during the initial rollout of the scheme in February 2019.
* Departmental proceedings initiated against officials posted against 98 ADO Circles by the State Government of Assam.
* Rs 1.54 Cr recovered from ineligible beneficiaries by the State.
Strengthened Monitoring and Verification:
* Benefits transferred via DBT based on verified data from States/UTs on the PMKISAN portal.
* Technological interventions introduced, including integration with PFMS, UIDAI, and the Income Tax Department.
* Land seeding, Aadhaar-based payment, and eKYC made mandatory; benefits stopped for non-compliance until requirements are met.
Grievance Redressal Mechanisms:
* Multiple channels available: CPGRAMS portal, PM KISAN portal, physical receipts, and emails.
* AI-based Kisan eMitra Chatbot launched in September 2023.
* Chatbot operates in 11 languages and has resolved over 95 lakh queries from 53 lakh farmers as of 15.07.2025.
Impact Analysis:
Farmers:
* Impact: Continued financial assistance, improved transparency, and access to an enhanced grievance redressal system through multiple channels including the Kisan eMitra Chatbot. Benefits may be stopped if land seeding, Aadhaar-based payment, and eKYC are not completed.
* Action Required: Complete mandatory requirements (land seeding, Aadhaar-based payment, and eKYC) to ensure continued benefits and utilize available grievance redressal mechanisms for issue resolution.
Government of Assam:
* Impact: Responsible for addressing past irregularities, conducting disciplinary proceedings, and recovering misappropriated funds.
* Action Required: Continue departmental proceedings against involved officials, pursue recovery of remaining misappropriated funds, and ensure data accuracy for PMKISAN scheme implementation.
Agriculture Development Officers (ADOs) and Departmental Staff:
* Impact: Those involved in irregularities face disciplinary or legal action.
* Action Required: Cooperate with ongoing investigations and comply with disciplinary actions as required.
Government of India (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare):
* Impact: Responsible for the overall implementation and monitoring of the PMKISAN scheme, addressing irregularities, and ensuring transparency and accountability.
* Action Required: Maintain and enhance monitoring and verification processes, ensure effective grievance redressal mechanisms, and continue technological interventions to improve scheme efficiency and transparency.
Key Entities Referenced
PMKISAN scheme: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a central sector scheme to supplement financial needs of landholding farmers.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for agriculture and farmers' welfare.
Assam: A state in India where irregularities in the PMKISAN scheme were reported.
Agriculture Development Officers ADOs: Officials in Assam implicated in irregularities related to the PMKISAN scheme implementation.
Direct Benefit Transfer DBT: A mode of transferring financial benefits directly into the Aadhaar seeded bank accounts of farmers.
Aadhaar: 12 digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India
CPGRAMS portal: A grievance redressal portal for addressing issues related to the PM KISAN scheme.
Kisan eMitra Chatbot: An AI-based chatbot launched in September 2023 to provide quick and accurate responses to farmers' queries in multiple languages.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1453
TO BE ANSWERED ON 29TH JULY, 2025
IRREGULARITIES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF PM-KISAN SCHEME
1453. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:
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 is aware of irregularities in the implementation of the PM-
Kisan scheme in Assam, particularly involving Agriculture Development Officers
(ADOs) and other departmental staff;
(b) the total number of officials identified for involvement in the scam and the nature
of the disciplinary or legal action taken against them;
(c) the estimated financial loss caused by these irregularities and whether recovery of
misappropriated funds is being pursued;
(d) whether any independent or central investigation has been initiated to ensure
transparency and accountability; and
(e) the measures the Government is taking to strengthen monitoring, verification, and
grievance redressal mechanisms in the PM-Kisan scheme across the country?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) to (e): 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 cultivable
land-holding farmers. 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. Under the PM-KISAN Scheme,
cultivable landholding is primary eligibility criteria to receive benefit of the Scheme
subject to some certain exclusions relating to higher income status.
The Government of India has disbursed over Rs 3.69 lakh Cr to farmers in 19
installments since inception.
As reported by the Government of Assam, certain irregularities and
discrepancies have been reported in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Kisan
Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Assam. These irregularities occurred during
the initial days of rolling out of the scheme in February, 2019.
Departmental Proceedings against officials posted against 98 ADO Circles
were initiated by the State Government of Assam in cognizance with the State level
One-man enquiry report’s observations & findings. An amount of Rs. 1.54 Cr. has been
recovered by the State from the ineligible identified beneficiaries.To further strengthen monitoring, verification, and grievance redressal
mechanisms in the PM-KISAN scheme across the country, several steps have been
taken. Benefits of the scheme are now 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. Further, 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. The benefits of the farmers, who did not
complete these mandatory criteria, were stopped. As and when these farmers
complete their mandatory requirements, they will receive the benefits of the scheme
along with their due installments, if any.
To ensure the prompt resolution of issues faced by the farmers under the PM-
KISAN scheme, following grievance redressal mechanisms are in place:
CPGRAMS portal
PM KISAN portal
Physical receipts and emails
To further enhance grievance redressal, the AI-based Kisan eMitra Chatbot
was launched in September 2023. This Chatbot provides quick, accurate, and clear
responses to farmers' queries round the clock in their native languages, making the
system more accessible and user-friendly. It is accessible on all platforms such as
web, mobile, etc. The Kisan eMitra Chatbot currently operates in 11 languages—
English, Hindi, Odia, Tamil, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Kannada, Telugu,
and Marathi—and has successfully resolved over 95 lakh queries from 53 lakh farmers
as on 15.07.2025.
*****