PM-Kisan Yojana: Govt Recovers ₹416 Crore from Ineligible Beneficiaries; Find Out Who Qualifies for Funds

The central government has successfully recovered ₹416 crore from ineligible beneficiaries who had wrongfully received funds under the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi Yojana. These individuals included income tax payees, government employees, PSU workers, and constitutional post holders, all of whom failed to meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria.

This move is part of a larger effort to ensure that only eligible small and marginal farmers benefit from the scheme. With stricter verification measures in place, the government aims to enhance transparency and prevent misuse of funds.

PM-KISAN Scheme: Purpose and Key Features

Launched in February 2019, the PM-KISAN scheme provides ₹6,000 per year to farmers in three equal installments through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). So far, the scheme has disbursed over ₹3.68 lakh crore across 19 installments.

To prevent fraudulent claims, the government has mandated eKYC , Aadhaar-based payments , and land seeding. Farmers who fail to complete these steps will not receive their payments.

Tech-Driven Reforms for Greater Efficiency

To streamline operations, the government has introduced several technological upgrades:

• PM-KISAN Portal & Mobile App: Farmers can register, track payments, and complete eKYC.
• Facial Authentication eKYC (Launched in June 2023): Enables remote identity verification through face scans.
• Kisan-eMitra AI Chatbot (Launched in September 2023): Provides real-time assistance in local languages regarding payments, registration, and eligibility.
• Common Service Centres (CSCs): Over 5 lakh centers across India assist farmers with registration and verification.

Additionally, 1.5 crore new farmers have been added to the scheme since November 2023, ensuring wider coverage through nationwide saturation drives.

Who Can Benefit from PM-KISAN ?

The scheme aims to financially support landholding farmers while ensuring direct fund transfers without middlemen. Eligibility criteria include:

✅ Farmers with cultivable land in their name
✅ Indian citizens with valid documentation
✅ Husband, wife, and minor children as part of the farmer family

However, certain categories are ineligible, including:

❌ Institutional landholders
❌ Income tax payees from the previous assessment year
❌ Government employees, PSU workers, and constitutional post holders
❌ Professionals (Doctors, engineers, lawyers, CAs, architects)
❌ Pensioners receiving ₹10,000 or more per month

Impact of PM-KISAN on Farmers and Rural Economy

Studies show that 64% of PM-KISAN funds are utilized in agriculture, with spending breakdowns as follows:

• Ploughing (40.82%)
• Fertilizers (23%)
• Seeds (21%)
• Other farm-related expenses (15.48%)

The remaining 36% of funds are used for healthcare (39%), social obligations (27%), home construction (9.53%), and other personal needs.

By eliminating ineligible beneficiaries, the government is ensuring that PM-KISAN funds reach genuine farmers, strengthening the rural economy and boosting agricultural productivity.