There has been a historic decline in the number of PM-Kisan beneficiaries.
While this number peaked at 10.47 crore in April-July 2022, it has declined by more than 20 percent to 8.12 crore in a few months.
This may affect the next installment also. However, to compensate for this, the government has organized Sankalp Yatra and added 34 lakh people.
This journey will continue till 26 January. Government sources say its aim is to reach out to those farmers who have not yet availed the benefits. Among the new farmers joining the scheme, maximum number of 8.50 lakh people are from UP.
Earlier this month, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had told the Lok Sabha that the number of PM Kisan beneficiaries was at the top with 10.47 crore till July 2022, but within a year, the number of beneficiaries has declined by 20 percent.
However, on November 15 this year, 34 lakh beneficiaries were added to the Bharat Sankalp Yatra. This includes the highest number of farmers from Uttar Pradesh – 8.50 lakh, followed by 2.39 lakh from Rajasthan, 2.27 lakh from Manipur, 2.2 lakh from Jharkhand and 1.89 lakh from Maharashtra.
Sankalp Yatra will continue till 26th January
The yatra, which was launched on November 15, six months before the Lok Sabha elections, will continue till January 26 and aims to ensure that all the intended beneficiaries are covered under various flagship schemes of the government.
The inclusion of more than 34 lakh farmers in PM-Kisan is important in view of the decreasing number of beneficiaries of the scheme in the last financial year.
In August-November this year, it has fallen further to its lowest level in 3 years. Sources in the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, which implements the scheme, said the total number of farmer beneficiaries is expected to reach 8.75 crore by the end of the Vikas Bharat Sankalp Yatra in January 2024.
A source said that it is important to connect the farmers who have not yet availed the scheme.
when is the next installment
On November 15, 8.12 crore farmers had received an installment of Rs 2,000 under the PM-Kisan scheme. The new 34 lakh farmers now added to the list of beneficiaries will be given the next installment of PM-Kisan before the end of the 2023-24 financial year.
The number of beneficiaries is increasing and decreasing
According to data presented by the government in Parliament, the number of beneficiaries peaked at 10.47 crore in April-July 2022.
After this it has declined. This number increased to 8.57 crore in August. 8.12 crore in November and December-March 2022-23.
During April-July this year, it increased marginally to 8.57 crores, but again declined to 8.12 crores in August-November. In December-March 2019-20, this figure was 8.09 crores.
The amount received by farmers is also decreasing
With the decline in the number of beneficiaries, the annual distribution of funds under PM-Kisan has also declined. It peaked at Rs 67,121 crore in 2021-22 and fell to Rs 58,258 crore in 2022-23.
Till November 22 in this financial year, the government has distributed Rs 38,660 crore. The last installment is payable between December to March for the current financial year.
During the recently concluded winter session of Parliament, Tomar had acknowledged the decline in the annual distribution of funds under PM-Kisan.
It is noteworthy that under the PM-Kisan Beneficiary Scheme, eligible farmer families get Rs 6,000 in three equal installments through DBT every four months.
The scheme was launched on February 24, 2019, just before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. At the time of the first installment (December-March 2018-19), the number of beneficiaries was 3.03 crore.