Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to release the 19th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme during the Kisan Samman Ceremony in Bhagalpur, Bihar, on February 24, Minister for Agriculture Ratanlal Nath announced on Friday.
Over ₹22,000 Crore to Benefit 9.7 Crore Farmers
As part of this initiative, the government will directly transfer ₹22,000 crore to the bank accounts of over 9.7 crore farmers across the country through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
In this phase, farmers registered in the state will receive a total of ₹50,86,35,000 crore directly into their bank accounts. To ensure wider participation, the installment distribution event will be broadcast live across all agricultural sub-divisions and districts, Nath stated during a press conference.
The ceremony at the State Agricultural Research Station in A.D. Nagar will also be attended by Food Minister Sushanta Chowdhury along with senior officials.
PM-KISAN Payments and Agricultural Progress in the State
Highlighting the success of the PM-KISAN scheme, the Agriculture Minister stated that up to the 18th installment, a total of ₹791.75 crore has already been credited to 2,77,970 farmers’ accounts in the state.
Since the launch of the scheme in the 2018-19 financial year, farmers in the state have also benefited from various agricultural loan programs. Under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, the government has provided ₹2,142.58 crore in agricultural loans to 3,81,685 farmers.
Additionally, between 2018-19 and 2024-25, the government has procured 2,25,365 metric tons of paddy from 1,17,108 farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to support agricultural sustainability and fair pricing.
As part of the Soil Health Card initiative, 1,88,342 farmers in the state have received Soil Health Cards, which aim to promote sustainable and efficient farming practices.
Government’s Commitment to Farmers’ Welfare
The Agriculture Minister reaffirmed that both the central and state governments remain committed to implementing various welfare schemes to double farmers’ income and improve their livelihoods.
The press conference was also attended by Apurba Roy, Secretary of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, who provided additional insights into the ongoing agricultural initiatives.
