PM-KISAN Scheme To Ten Crore Farmers From February

What to know?

• Under the income support scheme for small farmers announced in the 2019 budget, the government will start making payments from February onwards itself as beneficiary data was already available.
• It has been decided to implement the scheme with effect from 1 December 2018. The allocation of Rs 20,000 crore, required for the current fiscal, has been made in the Budget.
• Land record data and all the information about small and marginal farmers is available.
• Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, the government will transfer Rs 6,000 in three instalments of Rs 2,000 each to the bank accounts of approximately ten crore small farmers who own less than two hectares of land. They constitute 86.21 per cent of all the farmers in India and collectively own 47.34 per cent of the land. 

First Instalment Could Be Messy

• Union minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Shekhawat said that the first payment could encounter technical challenges but subsequent transfers would be smooth.
• Distribution of the second part would be easier as all the beneficiaries will have their bank accounts linked with Aadhaar to make the process swift.

(Economy, social sector)(Swarajya, economic times)

Pic courtesy: swarajyamag.com