Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 20 June released the 23rd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme from Tarkeshwar in Hooghly district, West Bengal, channelling more than ₹18,880 crore directly into the bank accounts of 9.44 crore farmers nationwide through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The disbursement marks one of the largest single-day agricultural fund transfers under the scheme since its launch.

Key Disbursement Details

Under this instalment, Gujarat alone saw 51.28 lakh farmers receive more than ₹1,025 crore, credited directly into their accounts without the involvement of intermediaries. The PM-Kisan scheme, operational since 2019, provides eligible farmer families with ₹6,000 annually in three equal tranches of ₹2,000 each, designed to help cover agricultural input costs.

Gujarat's PM Kisan Utsav Diwas

A state-level 'PM Kisan Utsav Diwas' event was held in Gandhinagar under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani and State Minister Ramesh Katara in attendance. Farmers across Gujarat watched a live telecast of the Prime Minister's address, while assistance under various agriculture and horticulture schemes was also distributed to beneficiaries at the event.

What the Gujarat Government Said

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reaffirmed the state's commitment to strengthening farmers' incomes and rural livelihoods. 'The state government has a special focus on water conservation, natural farming and modern agricultural development. Even in low rainfall conditions, planned farming is possible with a scientific approach. Natural farming improves soil quality, maintains production capacity and increases the chances of farmers getting better market prices,' he said.

Patel also noted that the Narmada command area lake-filling limit has been raised from 3 km to 7 km, and that infrastructure support — including fencing and storage facilities — has been expanded to benefit small and marginal farmers. Water conservation drives such as 'Amrit Sarovar' and rainwater harvesting structures are being rolled out across districts to improve irrigation reliability and groundwater recharge.

Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani described PM-Kisan as 'a major source of assured financial assistance for farmers to meet agricultural input costs,' adding that the direct-transfer model strengthens transparency and supports rural economic stability alongside government procurement and welfare programmes.

Why This Matters

The PM-Kisan scheme is among the Centre's most far-reaching direct-benefit programmes, bypassing traditional administrative channels to put funds straight into farmers' accounts. With agrarian distress remaining a persistent concern — particularly in rain-dependent districts — the assured ₹6,000 annual support serves as a critical income buffer. Notably, the choice of West Bengal as the disbursement venue carries political significance, given the ongoing contest for rural voter support in the state. This is the 23rd consecutive instalment since the scheme's 2019 launch, underscoring its continuity across successive budget cycles.

What Comes Next

The next instalment is expected later in the financial year, maintaining the three-tranche annual calendar. State governments are separately being encouraged to link beneficiary data with land records to improve targeting and reduce exclusion errors, a process that officials say is ongoing across multiple states.