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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, approved the next payment under the PM Kisan cash transfer program for farmers. This decision was the first action taken by the new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, which was sworn in on Sunday.
The Prime Minister authorized the release of the 17th instalment of PM Kisan Nidhi, which amounts to ₹20,000 crore and will benefit 93 million eligible farmers.
In a statement, Modi emphasized the government’s commitment to the welfare of farmers, stating, “Ours is a government fully committed to Kisan Kalyan (farmers’ welfare). It is therefore fitting that the first file signed on taking charge is related to farmer welfare.”
This is not the first time Modi has taken action to support farmers through the PM-KISAN program. On February 28, he released the 16th instalment, providing financial assistance to poor farmers. In the 15th instalment, nearly ₹18,000 crore was disbursed to 80 million farmers through direct benefit transfer.
Under the PM-KISAN program, the government offers income support of ₹6,000 per year to farmers who are enrolled in the program. This support is provided through three equal cash transfers of ₹2,000 each, distributed every four months. The welfare program was launched on February 24, 2019.