Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 10th installment of financial benefit under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on Saturday. Under the scheme, an amount of over ₹20,000 crore was transferred to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmer families across the country.
Modi released the amount to beneficiaries at an event held through video conference.
Addressing the nation after the event, PM Modi said, “Crores of farmer families of the country, especially small farmers, have received the 10th installment of the Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman Nidhi. ₹20,000 crore have been transferred in the bank accounts of farmers.”
PM Modi then went on to highlight India’s achievements and strides made in the fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
“Coronavirus has its challenges, but it cannot stop the pace of India. In 2022, we have to accelerate our pace further. India will fight Covid-19 with full caution and vigilance and fulfill its national interests,” he said.
Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of ₹6,000 per year is provided to the eligible farmer families, payable in three equal installments of ₹2,000. The money is transferred directly to the bank account of the beneficiaries.
During the virtual event, the Prime Minister also released an equity grant of more than ₹14 crore to about 351 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), benefiting 1.24 lakh farmers.
The virtual event was attended by as many as nine chief ministers, several ministers from different states, and representatives of agricultural institutions.
On the occasion, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on the first day of the New Year 2022, around ₹20,900 crore is being transferred to about 10.09 crore beneficiaries. He also said the PM-KISAN programme was launched as part of the government’s effort to help double the income of farmers.
The 9th installment of PM-KISAN was released in August 2021.
With the released latest tranche, the total amount provided under the scheme has touched about ₹1.8 lakh crore. The PM-KISAN scheme was announced in February 2019.