Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 23rd instalment of the PM-Kisan scheme on Saturday, transferring funds to eligible farmers across India.
The disbursement provides critical income support to millions of agricultural households, ensuring a baseline of financial stability for those managing small-scale farming operations.
Speaking from Tarakeswar city in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, the Prime Minister oversaw the transfer of ₹18,880 crore [1]. The funds were distributed to 9.44 crore farmers [2], each receiving a payment of ₹2,000 [3].
This payment is part of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) program, which aims to provide an annual income support of ₹6,000 to eligible farmer families [4]. The government delivers this total in three equal instalments of ₹2,000 each throughout the year [4].
The reach of the program was further highlighted by regional data from Gujarat, where ₹1,025 crore was distributed to 51.28 lakh farmers as part of this 23rd tranche [5].
The event in West Bengal also served as a platform for the Prime Minister to unveil a broader infrastructure and welfare roadmap for the state. The initiative focuses on integrating direct benefit transfers with larger regional development goals to improve rural livelihoods.
“₹18,880 crore was transferred to 9.44 crore farmers”
The consistent release of PM-Kisan instalments reflects the Indian government's strategy to use direct benefit transfers (DBT) to bypass intermediaries and reduce leakages in welfare distribution. By providing predictable, though modest, cash infusions, the state aims to mitigate the volatility of agricultural income and reduce the reliance of small farmers on high-interest informal loans during sowing seasons.
