When the Centre launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, or PM-KISAN, in 2019, it chose Uttar Pradesh as the starting point.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme from Gorakhpur on February 24, 2019, with the objective of providing direct income support to eligible landholding farmer families.
Seven years later, Uttar Pradesh remains the biggest beneficiary of the scheme. In the 23rd instalment released on June 20, 2026, more than 2.2 crore farmers in Uttar Pradesh received a combined Rs 4,352 crore.
Nationwide, the instalment transferred more than Rs 18,880 crore to around 9.44 crore farmers. Since its launch, more than Rs 4.46 lakh crore has been disbursed under PM-KISAN, according to the government.
HOW PM-KISAN WORKS
PM-KISAN is a Central Sector Scheme fully funded by the Government of India.
Under the scheme, eligible landholding farmer families receive Rs 6,000 a year, paid in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000.
The money is transferred directly into farmers’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. Farmers have to meet the scheme’s eligibility requirements, including having their land records seeded on the PM-KISAN portal, linking their bank accounts with Aadhaar and completing e-KYC verification.
The scheme is aimed at helping farmers meet expenses related to agriculture and allied activities, while also providing some support for household needs.
The government has approved the continuation of PM-KISAN from 2026-27 to 2030-31, with a financial outlay of Rs 3.15 lakh crore.
UTTAR PRADESH’S LARGE BENEFICIARY BASE
The scale of PM-KISAN in Uttar Pradesh is significant.
In the latest instalment, more than 2.2 crore farmers in the state received the payment, making Uttar Pradesh the largest state-wise beneficiary base.
The Rs 4,352 crore transferred to farmers in the state in this instalment works out to roughly Rs 2,000 per beneficiary, in line with the structure of the scheme.
The large beneficiary base reflects the importance of small and marginal farmers to the state’s agricultural economy. The 2022 study by the Agro-Economic Research Centre at the University of Allahabad found that most PM-KISAN beneficiaries surveyed in Uttar Pradesh had landholdings of less than two hectares.
WHAT DO FARMERS USE THE MONEY FOR?
A 2022 study by the Agro-Economic Research Centre at the University of Allahabad, sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, specifically examined PM-KISAN’s impact on farm income in Uttar Pradesh.
The study found that beneficiaries primarily used the money for agricultural expenses such as ploughing, fertilisers and seeds.
The study also found differences in crop yields between beneficiary and non-beneficiary farms. Paddy yields were 3.08% higher on beneficiary farms, while wheat yields were 1.93% higher.
Beneficiary households also recorded a 9.85% increase in net farm income, according to the study.
The findings indicate that the recurring cash transfer can help ease some of the liquidity pressures faced by farmers during the agricultural cycle.
At the same time, the study noted that the Rs 6,000 annual payment is not enough to cover the full cost of cultivation. An analysis published alongside the study estimated the weighted A2 cost, the paid-out cost incurred by farmers, at about Rs 9,500 per acre.
That distinction is important: PM-KISAN is an income-support scheme, not a programme designed to cover the entire cost of farming.
BEYOND THE DIRECT CASH TRANSFER
PM-KISAN also sits alongside other forms of institutional support available to farmers.
Beneficiaries can apply for a Kisan Credit Card (KCC), which provides access to short-term agricultural credit at concessional interest rates.
The broader objective is to reduce liquidity constraints that can force farmers to rely on informal sources of credit to purchase agricultural inputs.
The government has said PM-KISAN’s direct payments have helped farmers make timely investments in seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, agricultural machinery and other agricultural requirements. A NITI Aayog evaluation cited by the Centre found that more than 92% of beneficiaries reported using the assistance for agricultural activities and investment.
A SMALL PAYMENT WITH A LARGE REACH
The Rs 6,000 annual support is modest compared with the overall cost of cultivation. But the scale and regularity of PM-KISAN make it significant.
For an individual farmer, each instalment amounts to Rs 2,000. For Uttar Pradesh, however, the latest transfer meant thousands of crores reaching more than two crore farming families and individuals.
The scheme’s architecture is built around this combination of small but recurring payments, direct transfers and digital verification.
Since its launch, PM-KISAN has become one of the government’s largest Direct Benefit Transfer programmes. The Centre says more than Rs 4.46 lakh crore had been transferred through 23 instalments by June 2026.
For Uttar Pradesh, which has consistently had the country’s largest PM-KISAN beneficiary base, the scheme has become a recurring source of support for millions of farming households.
With the Centre approving its continuation until 2030-31, the Rs 2,000 instalment will continue to be part of the financial support available to eligible farmers, provided they remain eligible and complete the required verification and authentication processes.
– Ends
Published By:
Akshat Trivedi
Published On:
Sep 11, 2026 13:07 IST
