Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Varanasi, released the 20th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. Over 9.7 crore farmers in India received direct payments of ₹20,500 crore. This financial assistance was deposited directly into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, ensuring complete transparency and eliminating middlemen.

The PM-KISAN plan, introduced in February 2019, provides ₹6,000 annually to eligible land-holding farmers in three equal payments. Since its launch, around ₹3.69 lakh crore has been distributed in 19 previous instalments. This approach provides farmers with necessary agricultural resources while also reducing their reliance on informal credit sources.

The initiative primarily supports small and marginal farmers, the majority of whom own less than two hectares of land. The project has strengthened rural financial resilience by providing timely assistance, particularly during critical farming periods.

Technological tools like the PM-KISAN mobile app, face e-KYC authentication, and the Kisan eMitra chatbot improve accessibility and usability. More than 5 lakh Common Service Centres help with registration and grievance resolution.

Recent growth attempts, such as the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, have added over 1 crore new farmers to the fold. Uttar Pradesh is the top beneficiary.