The Government of India has introduced various welfare schemes to support agriculture and enhance the livelihood of farmers. One such initiative is the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) Scheme, which provides financial assistance of ₹6,000 annually to eligible small and marginal farmers. This amount is directly transferred to beneficiaries in three equal installments of ₹2,000 each via the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
19th Installment Expected in February 2025
The 19th installment of the PM-Kisan scheme is expected to be disbursed in the first week of February 2025. However, the Ministry of Agriculture has recently announced a major change in the registration process for new applicants under this scheme. Going forward, a “Farmer Identification Card”, also known as the Kisan Pehchan Patra, will be mandatory for all new registrations.
What is the Farmer Identification Card?
The Farmer Identification Card is a unique digital ID designed to confirm land ownership and validate farmers’ eligibility for the scheme. It will function like an Aadhaar card for farmers, containing vital information such as the farmer’s name, land details, crops cultivated, and other data relevant to agricultural welfare programs.
The card aims to ensure that only genuine land-owning farmers benefit from government welfare schemes. This initiative will also simplify the registration process for PM-Kisan by serving as a verified document of land ownership.
Why is the Farmer ID Mandatory?
The Ministry has emphasized the need to digitize land records and verify ownership details to streamline welfare disbursements and reduce the risk of fraud. The Farmer ID will help:
- Facilitate accurate cash transfers to eligible beneficiaries
- Enable easy approval of agricultural loans.
- Improve crop insurance processes.
- Aid in predicting agricultural yields more effectively.
Starting January 1, 2025, the requirement for Farmer IDs has been implemented in 10 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. It is expected to roll out to other states in the near future.
How Will Farmers Benefit?
The creation of digital IDs is expected to benefit approximately 110 million farmers across India in the coming years. Since its launch in February 2019, the PM-Kisan scheme has distributed ₹3.46 lakh crore to farmers through 18 installments. The upcoming changes will ensure greater transparency and efficiency in the implementation of this scheme.
Existing Beneficiaries
Farmers who are already receiving benefits under the PM-Kisan scheme will continue to do so without any interruption. However, for new applicants, the Farmer ID will be a mandatory requirement to validate land ownership and register for the scheme.
This move is a step towards ensuring that genuine farmers receive the intended benefits and that resources are utilized efficiently to support India’s agricultural sector.