New Delhi, Nov 19 (NationPress) To date, over Rs 3.70 lakh crore has been distributed to more than 11 crore farmer families across the nation via 20 instalments under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, as reported by an official statement on Wednesday.

The scheme targets farmers whose land records are linked to the PM KISAN portal, have bank accounts connected to their Aadhaar, and have completed their eKYC.

Launched on February 24, 2019, the PM-KISAN scheme aims to provide income support to all families of landholding farmers with cultivable land in India. Each eligible farmer family receives annual financial assistance of Rs. 6,000, given in three equal instalments of Rs. 2,000 directly into their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

A saturation drive initiated in November 2023 under the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra has successfully enrolled over 1 crore eligible farmers into the scheme.

Furthermore, an additional 25 lakh farmers were added in the first 100 days of the new government in June 2024. Consequently, the number of beneficiaries receiving the 18th instalment rose to 9.59 crore, as noted in the statement.

From September 21, 2024, a special drive was executed to resolve pending self-registration cases. Since the start of this initiative, over 30 lakh pending registrations have been approved by State/UT authorities.

As one of the largest Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) initiatives worldwide, the scheme highlights its significant role in providing direct financial aid to beneficiaries. Notably, over 25 percent of the benefits have been allocated to women.

The scheme's success is largely attributed to India's strong digital framework. The integration of Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhaar, and mobile technology ensures seamless online operations throughout the scheme.

Farmers can self-register, land records are verified electronically, and payments are directly deposited into their bank accounts. State governments have also been essential in facilitating smooth implementation, creating a unified delivery system that is farmer-friendly.

The initiative has spurred the creation of digital tools like Kisan eMitra, a voice-activated chatbot, and AgriStack, aimed at offering farmers personalized and timely advisory services. Together, these innovations are revolutionizing Indian agriculture and preparing it for the future, as mentioned in the statement.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi transferred Rs 18,000 crore to farmers nationwide through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system as part of the 21st instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme.