A scheme that has already moved over ₹4.47 lakh crore directly into farmers' bank accounts just got a five-year lease of life. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, July 31, 2026, approved the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme through 2030–31, with a fresh financial outlay of ₹3.15 lakh crore — a decision Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called historic and far-sighted.

What the Cabinet cleared — and what it means in rupees

The approval locks in PM-KISAN for the five-year window from 2026–27 to 2030–31. The scheme, which delivers ₹6,000 per year in three equal instalments directly to eligible farmer families, will continue to operate as a central sector programme — meaning the entire cost is borne by the Union government, with no state co-funding required.

Chouhan's post noted that, cumulatively, more than ₹4.47 lakh crore has already been transferred to farmers' accounts since the scheme's launch. The new ₹3.15 lakh crore commitment signals that the government intends to sustain — and potentially deepen — that pace of disbursal through the end of the decade.

PM-KISAN's seven-year track record as the base for renewal

PM-KISAN was launched in February 2019 as a direct income-support mechanism, initially targeting small and marginal farmers before coverage was broadened. It became one of the largest direct benefit transfer (DBT) programmes in the world by volume of beneficiaries and transaction count. Each instalment is credited digitally, bypassing intermediaries — a design choice that has made it a template for other welfare DBT programmes.

The scheme's continuity across successive Union Budgets reflects its political and administrative durability. Multi-year extensions of this kind are relatively rare for social-sector schemes, signalling institutional confidence in the delivery architecture.

Chouhan frames it inside 'Viksit Bharat'

In his post — written in Hindi — Chouhan described the decision as one that will 'kisan ki aay sudridh karne' (strengthen farmers' income) and ensure their economic security, linking it explicitly to the government's 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India) vision. He thanked Prime Minister Modi 'from the heart' for the decision.

As the minister directly responsible for the scheme's administration, Chouhan's public endorsement also serves as a signal to state agriculture departments and farmer welfare bodies that disbursals will continue uninterrupted beyond the current cycle.

Five years, ₹3.15 lakh crore, and a promise that the next harvest will not be the last one the government stands behind — the Cabinet has drawn a long line in the soil.