THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, JULY 31, 2026

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from 2026-27 to 2030-31 with a financial outlay of Rs 3.15 lakh crore, reaffirming the Centre's commitment to strengthening farmers' incomes and boosting agricultural investment.

The decision, taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will ensure uninterrupted income support of Rs 6,000 annually to eligible landholding farmer families through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism in three equal instalments.

The government said the extension reflects its belief that the prosperity of farmers is the foundation of the nation's progress and that the scheme has emerged as a transparent, technology-driven model of welfare delivery through Aadhaar authentication, digital verification and a robust DBT platform.

Launched in February 2019, PM-KISAN has so far transferred more than Rs 4.47 lakh crore directly into farmers' bank accounts across 23 instalments. More than 9.49 crore farmers benefited under the 23rd instalment, during which over Rs 18,984 crore was disbursed.

The scheme also played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than Rs 1.71 lakh crore released as financial assistance to farmers. Women farmers have received over Rs 1.06 lakh crore under the programme, with nearly one in every four beneficiaries being a woman.

According to the government, the income support has enabled farmers to make timely investments in seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, farm machinery and other agricultural inputs, enhancing productivity while reducing dependence on informal sources of credit and improving the financial stability of rural households.

Independent assessments have also highlighted the scheme's impact. An evaluation by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) of NITI Aayog found that over 92 per cent of beneficiaries used the assistance for agricultural activities and investments, while nearly 85 per cent reported higher farm incomes and reduced reliance on informal borrowing.

The government said India's agriculture sector witnessed significant gains during 2020-21 to 2025-26, with the cultivated area increasing by around 9.65 per cent, productivity rising by 10.53 per cent and total foodgrain production growing by about 21.18 per cent, reflecting sustained support to farmers and enhanced agricultural capacity.

Describing PM-KISAN as a flagship example of the Digital India initiative, the government said the scheme has ensured transparent and efficient transfer of benefits directly into farmers' accounts while strengthening their confidence, self-reliance and ability to invest in agriculture.

It said the continuation of the scheme would further enhance farmers' investment capacity, improve productivity, reduce agricultural risks and strengthen the rural economy, while reinforcing the government's farmer-centric policies and contributing to the vision of a Viksit Bharat through empowered and prosperous farmers.