1. What it is
PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi) is a central sector scheme launched on 24 February 2019. It gives eligible farmer families ₹6,000 a year. The money goes straight into the beneficiary’s bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and the Centre funds it fully.
2. Benefit and payment schedule
The ₹6,000 is paid in three equal instalments of ₹2,000: April–July, August–November and December–March.
Recent releases:
- 21st: 19 November 2025
- 22nd: 13 March 2026, about ₹18,640 crore to roughly 9.32 crore farmers
- 23rd: 20 June 2026, ₹18,880 crore to more than 9.44 crore farmers
- 24th (August–November window): Reports expect it in October 2026, but no official date has been announced. Some regional reports say it may arrive before Durga Puja or Navratri, but treat that as unconfirmed.
Budget 2026–27 did not raise the annual amount, which stays at ₹6,000.
3. Who is eligible
- The beneficiary must be a landholding farmer family. The family means husband, wife and minor children.
- The land must be cultivable and recorded in the family’s name.
- Land ownership is verified against state land records.
- Land bought after 1 February 2019 generally doesn’t qualify. The exception is land acquired by inheritance, where the person gets a share through succession.
4. Who is excluded
These categories can’t claim the benefit:
- Institutional landholders.
- Current or former holders of constitutional posts, including ministers, MPs, MLAs, mayors and district panchayat chairpersons.
- Serving or retired officers and employees of central or state governments and PSUs. The exception is Multi-Tasking Staff, Class IV and Group D employees.
- Retired pensioners getting ₹10,000 or more a month, except the MTS and Group D category.
- Anyone who paid income tax in the last assessment year.
- Professionals registered with professional bodies, such as doctors, engineers, lawyers, chartered accountants and architects, who practise their profession.
5. Mandatory requirements now
These are the things most likely to stop your payment.
- e-KYC. Payments are withheld for beneficiaries who haven’t completed or renewed their e-KYC. Reports say there are three ways to do it: Aadhaar OTP on the portal, biometric authentication at a CSC centre, or face authentication in the PM-KISAN mobile app.
- Aadhaar-linked bank account (NPCI/DBT seeding). Benefits go to farmers whose land details are seeded on the portal and whose bank accounts are linked with Aadhaar. The account must be active.
- Land seeding/verification. The land record must be verified on the portal.
- Farmer ID. Reports say a Farmer ID is a unique digital identity linked to Aadhaar and land records, and it’s now required for continued eligibility. It comes from the Farmer Registry under the AgriStack initiative. Enforcement has varied by state, so check with your local agriculture office whether it’s compulsory where you live.
6. Documents needed
- Aadhaar card
- Bank passbook or account details with IFSC
- Land ownership documents (khatauni, khasra, jamabandi or equivalent, depending on state)
- Mobile number linked to Aadhaar
- Proof of citizenship, if asked
- Farmer ID, where applicable
7. How to register
Online (self-registration)
- Go to pmkisan.gov.in.
- Click Farmers Corner → New Farmer Registration.
- Enter your Aadhaar number, state and the captcha, then verify with OTP.
- Fill in your personal, bank and land details.
- Submit and note your registration number.
Offline
- Contact your village patwari or revenue officer, the state nodal officer, or the nearest Common Service Centre (CSC). The CSC charges a small fee.
After applying, the state government verifies your details, which can take weeks. One regional guide estimates 45 to 90 days for new registrations.
8. How to complete e-KYC
- OTP: On the portal, go to Farmers Corner → e-KYC, enter your Aadhaar number and then the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile.
- Face authentication: Use the PM-KISAN GoI mobile app, which takes a selfie. This helps if your mobile number isn’t linked to Aadhaar.
- Biometric: Visit any CSC with your Aadhaar.
9. How to check your status
- On pmkisan.gov.in, click Know Your Status under Farmers Corner.
- Enter your registration number (or find it via “Know your registration no.”) and the captcha.
- Check the payment status and any rejection reasons.
For the village-wise list, use Beneficiary List and choose state, district, block and village. The PM-KISAN mobile app also shows status. The Kisan-eMitra AI chatbot offers 24/7 help in 11 regional languages for status and payment queries.
10. Why your payment may be stuck
- e-KYC pending or not renewed
- Aadhaar not linked to the bank account, or DBT/NPCI seeding missing
- Name mismatch between Aadhaar, bank and land records
- Land records not verified or seeded
- Wrong IFSC or account number, or a closed account
- Failed or rejected state verification
- Farmer ID missing, where it’s required
- The beneficiary falls in an excluded category
Some regional reports say farmers whose earlier instalments were held up for these reasons got the arrears with a later release, sometimes totalling ₹4,000. This depends on resolving the issue and on state approval, so it isn’t guaranteed.
11. Correcting mistakes
Use Edit Aadhaar Details on the portal for Aadhaar errors or Update Self Registered Farmer for other details. For bank or land corrections, go to your state nodal officer, district agriculture office or CSC.
12. Helplines
- PM-KISAN helpline: 155261 or 1800-115-526 (toll-free)
- Direct line: 011-23381092
- Email: pmkisan-ict@gov.in
Always confirm numbers on pmkisan.gov.in, since helplines occasionally change.
13. Beware of scams
Never share your OTP, Aadhaar or bank PIN with anyone claiming to release your instalment. Don’t install APK files sent over WhatsApp as “PM-KISAN apps.” Registration is free on the portal, so only use pmkisan.gov.in or the official government app.
14. Checklist before the 24th instalment
- e-KYC done
- Aadhaar linked to an active bank account with DBT enabled
- Land details verified on the portal
- Farmer ID obtained, if your state requires it
- Status checked on Know Your Status
- Bank, IFSC and name details match across documents
Rules, dates and state requirements change, so verify the final position on pmkisan.gov.in or with your local agriculture office. I can turn this into a Word doc or PDF, or write a Hindi version, if you’d like.
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