Beneficiaries under PM-Kisan rises to 81.1 mn in March 2023: Centre

The number of beneficiaries under the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme increased to 8.11 crore in the 13th instalment period December-March of the last fiscal from 3.16 crore in the first tranche, the government said on Tuesday.

In reply to a written question, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the number of beneficiaries has increased from 3.16 crore in the first period (December 2018March 2019) to 8.11 crore in the 13th period (December 2022 March 2023).

The PM-KISAN, one of the largest Central Sector Schemes, is being implemented to supplement the financial needs of the land-holding farmers of the country, subject to certain exclusion criteria relating to higher income status, he said.

"Under the scheme, the financial benefit of Rs 6,000/- annually, in three equal instalments, is transferred into the Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts of farmers," the minister said.

As per the data furnished in the written reply, the number of beneficiaries stood at 3,16,14,369, in December-March (2018-19), 6,00,32,675 during April-July (2019-20), 7,65,95,5 66 during August-November (2019-20), 8,20,05,401 during December-March (2019-20), 9,26,81,137 in April-July (2020-21), 9,71,92,767 during August-November (2020-21), 9,84,59,403 during December-March (2020-21).

Under PM-KISAN, the number of beneficiaries was 9,97,82,225 during April-July (2021-22), 10,34,08,208 during August-November (2021-22), 10,41,24,593 during December-March (2021-22), 10,45,68,304 during April-July (2022-23), 8,55,48,087 during August-November (2022-23) and 8,11,09,042 during December-March (2022-23).