Mon Feb 24 06:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Modi Releases 19th Installment of PM-KISAN Scheme, Benefitting Millions of Farmers
**Bhagalpur, Bihar – February 24, 2025** – Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released the 19th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, providing over ₹22,000 crore in direct financial assistance to more than 9.8 crore farmers across India. This includes 2.41 crore women farmers. The funds were disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), ensuring transparency and eliminating middlemen.
The PM-KISAN scheme, launched in February 2019, provides ₹6,000 annually to eligible landholding farmers in three equal installments. Since its inception, the scheme has disbursed over ₹3.46 lakh crore across 18 previous installments.
The event in Bhagalpur follows the release of the 18th installment in Washim, Maharashtra on October 5th, 2024, which benefited over 9.4 crore farmers with over ₹20,000 crore in assistance.
The government has emphasized the use of a farmer-centric digital infrastructure, including the PM-KISAN mobile app and web portal, to ensure efficient and transparent delivery of benefits. Features such as self-registration, benefit status tracking, and a facial authentication-based e-KYC system have been implemented to reach even the most remote farmers. An AI-powered chatbot, Kisan-eMitra, launched in 2023, provides multilingual support and instant query resolution. Over 5 lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs) have been integrated to assist farmers with registration and e-KYC.
Independent studies, such as one conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in 2019, have shown that PM-KISAN funds have positively impacted rural economic growth, eased farmers’ credit constraints, and increased agricultural investments. The funds have also been used by farmers for various needs beyond agriculture, including education and healthcare. The scheme is seen as a key initiative in promoting rural development and agricultural prosperity.
First Piper 