In news-The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme completed three years on February 24, 2022.
About PM-KISAN Scheme–
- Launched on 24th February, 2019, PM Kisan is a Central Sector Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme with 100% funding from Government of India.
- The scheme was started with a view to augment the income of the farmers by providing income support to all landholding farmers’ families across the country, to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs.
- Under the Scheme, an amount of Rs.6000/- per year is transferred in three 4-monthly installments of Rs.2000/- directly into the bank accounts of the farmers, subject to certain exclusion criteria relating to higher income status.
- The Scheme initially provided income support to all Small and Marginal Farmers’ families across the country, holding cultivable land upto 2 hectares.
- Its ambit was later expanded in June 2019 to cover all farmer families in the country irrespective of the size of their land holdings.
- Definition of family for the scheme is husband, wife and minor children.
- State Government and UT administration will identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines.
Excluded Categories-
The following categories of beneficiaries of higher economic status shall not be eligible for benefit under the scheme:
- All Institutional Land holders.
- Farmer families which belong to one or more of the following categories:.
- Former and present holders of constitutional posts.
- Former and present Ministers/ State Ministers and former/present Members of LokSabha/ RajyaSabha/ State Legislative Assemblies/ State Legislative Councils,former and present Mayors of Municipal Corporations, former and present Chairpersons of District Panchayats.
- All serving or retired officers and employees of Central/ State Government Ministries /Offices/Departments and its field units Central or State PSEs and Attached offices /Autonomous Institutions under Government as well as regular employees of the Local Bodies
(Excluding Multi Tasking Staff /Class IV/Group D employees). - All superannuated/retired pensioners whose monthly pension is Rs.10,000/-or more
(Excluding Multi Tasking Staff / Class IV/Group D employees) of above category. - All Persons who paid Income Tax in the last assessment year.
- Professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, and Architects registered with Professional bodies and carried out their profession by undertaking practices.
Source: The Economic Times
