Budget 2023: In her first address to the joint sitting of Parliament today, President Droupadi Murmu said that as many as three lakh women farmers have received the benefit of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. She added that Rs 54,000 crore has been transferred to them till now under the scheme.
President further said that the Central government's top priority is 11 crore small farmers in India who were deprived of the benefits since a long time. With the help of this scheme, these farmers have been empowered.
Murmu said under PM Kisan Yojana, more than Rs 2.25 lakh crore has been transferred to farmers and important thing is that around three lakhs are women farmers. The President added that approximately Rs 54,000 crore has been disbursed to these small women farmers of the country.
Murmu said the government in the same way is implementing several schemes including Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Soil Health Card and Kisan Credit Card (KCC), which has now been extended to the fishermen & livestock farmers.
She told the Parliament that "From setting up of farmers producers' organisations (FPOs) to increasing minimum support price (MSP), the Centre is standing with the small farmers to empower them”.
The latest government data claims that the number of beneficiaries who received the 1st installment stood at 3.16 crore - 6.63 crore in the second installment, approximately 8.76 crore in the third, 8.96 crore in fourth, 10.49 crore in fifth, 10.23 crore in sixth, 10.23 crore in seventh, 11.16 crore in eighth, 11.19 crore in ninth, 11.16 crore in tenth, 11.27 crore in eleventh instalment and 8.99 crore in twelfth instalment.
About PM Kisan Samman Nidhi
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana is a central sector scheme with 100% funding from the Central government. The scheme was launched in February 2019 but was implemented with effect from December 2018.
Under the scheme, eligible farmers are given financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per annum in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 each - every four months. The money is directly transferred to bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
It is the duty of the state governments and UT administrations to identify the farmer families who are eligible for financial assistance as per the scheme's guidelines.
