PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

What PM-KISAN Is

PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a direct income support programme for farmer families across India. Every eligible farmer family receives ₹6,000 per year, paid in three equal instalments of ₹2,000 — directly into the farmer's bank account, no middlemen.

The scheme started in February 2019. As of March 2026, the 22nd instalment has been released, with around 9.5 crore farmer families receiving each instalment. Total transfers since inception: over ₹3.45 lakh crore directly to farmers' accounts.

The money can be used for anything — seeds, fertilisers, equipment, or household needs. There are no spending restrictions.

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Who Is Eligible

You're eligible if:

• Your family owns cultivable agricultural land as per land records
• You're a farmer family (husband, wife, and minor children form one family unit)
• Land ownership was registered before 1 February 2019

You're NOT eligible if:

• You or your spouse hold/held a constitutional post (President, MP, MLA, etc.)
• You're a serving or retired government employee (Central or State) — exceptions: Group D/multi-tasking staff are eligible
• You've paid income tax in the previous assessment year
• You're a professional: registered doctor, engineer, lawyer, CA, architect
• Your family holds institutional land (i.e., land owned by a company or institution, not an individual)
• Land was acquired after 1 February 2019 (ownership cut-off date)

One important rule: only one family member gets the benefit. If both husband and wife are separately registered, one will be identified as a suspect case and payments withheld pending verification.

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Payment Schedule

Three instalments per year:

• April–July (1st instalment)
• August–November (2nd instalment)
• December–March (3rd instalment)

Payments are transferred via DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) to the farmer's Aadhaar-linked bank account. The PM releases each instalment — the 22nd was released on 13 March 2026 from Guwahati, Assam.

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eKYC — Mandatory

eKYC is compulsory for all registered farmers. Without completing eKYC, you won't receive the next instalment even if you're eligible.

Two ways to do eKYC:

1. OTP-based: Log in to pmkisan.gov.in → eKYC → enter Aadhaar number and OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile
2. Biometric-based: Visit the nearest CSC (Common Service Centre) with your Aadhaar

If your mobile number is not linked to Aadhaar, use the biometric option at a CSC.

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How to Register (New Farmers)

1. Go to pmkisan.gov.in → New Farmer Registration
2. Enter Aadhaar number, select state
3. Fill in personal details: name, category (SC/ST/General), bank account details, land details
4. Upload land record documents (Khasra/Khatauni/Patta)
5. Submit — verification is done by village-level officials and district agricultural officers

Registration can also be done through your nearest Patwari, Lekhpal, or CSC operator.

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Check Your Payment Status

• Visit pmkisan.gov.in → Know Your Status
• Enter Aadhaar or mobile number or registration number
• You'll see all instalment payment history and the reason for any withheld payments

If payment is withheld, the status screen shows the reason — most commonly: eKYC not done, bank account mismatch, or land verification pending.

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If Your Payment Is Withheld

The government has identified suspect cases where multiple family members are registered, or land was acquired after the cut-off. If your payment is on hold:

1. Check your status at pmkisan.gov.in → Know Your Status
2. If eKYC is the issue — complete it immediately
3. If it's a land verification issue — contact your district agricultural officer or Patwari with your land documents
4. If it's a bank account mismatch — update your bank details through the portal or CSC

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Common Questions

My father is the landowner but he's passed away — can I register in my name? Yes, if the land is now in your name as per updated land records. Get the mutation done first, then register.

I'm a sharecropper / tenant farmer — am I eligible? PM-KISAN covers landowner families only. Tenant farmers who don't own land are not eligible under the scheme.

I received payments earlier but now they're stopped — what happened? Likely causes: eKYC not completed, income tax return filed (making you ineligible), or a family member separately registered creating a duplicate case.

I'm getting the instalment but the amount seems less than ₹2,000. Check if any recovery has been deducted — the government recovers overpaid amounts from future instalments if it finds ineligible payments were made.

How long does new registration take to process? Typically 1–3 months after submission, depending on how quickly district-level verification is completed.

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Official Links

PM-KISAN Portal	pmkisan.gov.in
New Registration	pmkisan.gov.in → New Farmer Registration
Payment Status	pmkisan.gov.in → Know Your Status
eKYC	pmkisan.gov.in → eKYC
Kisan eMitra Chatbot	Available on PM-KISAN portal