20th PM-Kisan instalment brings major relief to farmers, says Agriculture Minister Rana

Haryana’s Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana said the 20th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme brought cheer to farmers across Haryana, with Rs 353 crore transferred directly to the accounts of 16.77 lakh farmers. The announcement was made during a special event held at the NDRI, Karnal, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s live nationwide address from Banouli in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing the gathering, Rana shared detailed insights into the PM-Kisan scheme and other agriculture-related initiatives being implemented in the state. He said 80,794 farmers from Karnal district alone received Rs 18 crore under the 20th instalment, directly into their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts through direct benefit transfer (DBT).

“The PM-Kisan scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 24, 2019, aims at supporting the farmers with timely access to fertilisers, seeds, and financial assistance,” Rana said. “Eligible farmer families are provided Rs 6,000 annually in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 every four months.”

So far, Haryana has disbursed a total of Rs 6,563.67 crore under the scheme across the previous 19 instalments, he noted.

Expanding on the government’s broader vision for agriculture, Rana highlighted various schemes enhancing the welfare of the farmers. Among them, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has been a major success in Haryana since its implementation in Kharif 2016 season. As of now, the insurance claims worth Rs 9,025.58 crore have been paid out to 33.17 lakh farmers.

The state is also making a push towards sustainable agriculture through natural farming. For the 2024-25 season, a target has been set to promote natural farming over 25,000 acres with an investment of Rs 26.50 crore. The subsidy for the farmers rearing indigenous cows on two acres or more has been raised from Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 in 2025. Additionally, Rs 75 lakh has been released to 2,500 farmers for the purchase of drums and Rs 1.98 crore for 492 indigenous cows.

Rana also highlighted the success of the “Meri Fasal Mera Byora” portal launched on July 4, 2019. This digital platform has become a cornerstone for crop registration and verification. Over the last 10 crop seasons, Rs 1.40 lakh crore has been transferred to 12 lakh farmers via DBT using the portal.

The direct seeding of rice initiative, operational in 12 districts since 2021, provides Rs 4,500 per acre to the farmers for adopting the eco-friendly method. Under the crop residue management scheme, the farmers using in-situ and ex-situ techniques have received an incentive of ?1,200 per acre since 2020-21. In a major relief to the farmers, Rana announced that Rs 1,345 crore has been transferred to the farmers’ bank accounts as Rs 2,000 per acre bonus for the ongoing Kharif 2024 season. “This will provide timely financial support and ease the burden on our farmers as they prepare for the harvest season,” the minister added.