Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Saturday, 20 June 2026 that funds under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme have been transferred to the bank accounts of more than 9 crore farmers across the country, and that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has been formally launched in West Bengal — marking the state's entry into the centrally sponsored crop insurance programme.

Context

Chouhan posted on X, attributing both developments to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his post, he wrote: 'Aaj PM Kisan Samman Nidhi ke tahat deshbhar ke 9 crore se adhik kisanon ke bank khaton mein paise bheje gaye hain' ('Today, funds under PM-KISAN have been sent to the bank accounts of more than 9 crore farmers across the country'). He added that West Bengal farmers have a further reason to celebrate, as the state is beginning implementation of the crop insurance scheme from the same day. 'Fasal Bima Yojana mushkil samay mein kisan ke parivaar ko sahara degi' ('The crop insurance scheme will support a farmer's family in difficult times'), he wrote.

The post was tagged #PMKISAN and accompanied by a video, signalling an organised communication push around what appears to be a scheduled instalment release and a significant state-level policy rollout.

Policy Backdrop

PM-KISAN, launched in February 2019, provides an annual direct income support of ₹6,000 to eligible landholding farmer families, disbursed in three instalments of ₹2,000 each directly into beneficiary bank accounts via the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism. The scheme has seen multiple rounds of disbursements since its launch, with beneficiary numbers growing steadily over successive cycles.

PMFBY, introduced in 2016, replaced earlier crop insurance programmes such as the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and the Modified NAIS. It protects farmers against yield losses caused by natural calamities, pests, and diseases. Crucially, participation in PMFBY is state-dependent under India's federal structure — states must formally opt in, which has led to staggered rollouts across different regions over the years. West Bengal's adoption, as announced on 20 June, brings a major agricultural state with a large smallholder farming population into the scheme's fold.

Stakeholders and Impact

The PM-KISAN transfer directly benefits small and marginal farmers nationwide, providing a predictable income cushion ahead of the Kharif sowing season. For farmers in West Bengal — one of India's largest rice-producing states — the commencement of PMFBY represents access to structured financial protection against crop failure for the first time under this scheme.

Agricultural households in the state will now be eligible to enrol under PMFBY, with premium subsidies shared between the Centre and the state government. The scheme's design ensures that even in seasons of acute weather-related distress — floods, cyclones, or drought — insured farmers receive compensation, reducing the risk of debt-driven distress that has historically plagued farming communities in the region.

What's Next

Attention will now shift to enrolment figures and claim settlement timelines as PMFBY becomes operational in West Bengal ahead of the Kharif season. Effective implementation will depend on state-level administrative machinery, timely premium collection, and coordination with insurance providers empanelled under the scheme.

On PM-KISAN, the next instalment cycle and any revision to the beneficiary list or eligibility norms will be closely watched by farmer organisations and parliamentary committees. The twin announcements reinforce the central government's strategy of pairing direct income transfers with risk-mitigation instruments as the twin pillars of its agricultural welfare architecture.