Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 18th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Washim, Maharashtra, on October 5, 2024. This significant event provided direct financial benefits to over 9.4 crore farmers nationwide, totaling more than Rs 20,000 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), without any involvement of middlemen.
The occasion was attended by prominent dignitaries, including the Governor of Maharashtra, C.P. Radhakrishnan; Minister of Agriculture, Government of India, Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh; Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde; Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis; and Minister of Soil & Water Conservation, Sanjay Rathod, who also served as the Guardian Minister for Washim and Yavatmal districts.
Around 2.5 crore farmers joined the event, including those at 732 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), over 1 lakh Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies, and 5 lakh Common Service Centres across the country through a webcast. Special events were also organized in various States and Union Territories, celebrating the day of the release as PM-KISAN Utsav Divas.
The event marked a significant milestone in the government's ongoing efforts to support farmers and enhance their livelihoods through direct financial assistance.
Launched on 24th February 2019, the PM-KISAN scheme provides Rs 6,000 annually to landholding farmers in three equal instalments. The Prime Minister will release the 18th instalment of PM-KISAN on 5th October. With the 18th instalment release, the total disbursement under the scheme will exceed Rs 3.45 lakh crore, supporting more than 11 crore farmers nationwide and further reaffirming the government's commitment to rural development and agricultural prosperity.
In Maharashtra, about Rs 32,000 crores have been transferred to around 1.20 crore farmers in 17 instalments of the scheme, which is second highest among all the States in India. In the 18th instalment, around 91.51 lakh farmers will receive the benefits of over ₹1,900 crore.
Alongside the PM-KISAN instalment distribution, the Prime Minister will also release the additional benefit of around ₹2,000 crore to the farmers of the Maharashtra under the 5th instalment of the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana, to further support their efforts.
