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Over 13 lakh farmers were declared ineligible for PM Kisan Yojana, stopping their 18th installment due to rule violations.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM Kisan Yojana), millions of farmers across India benefit from financial assistance provided by the government. However, recent checks have uncovered that over 13 lakh farmers were wrongly receiving these benefits. As a result, they have been declared ineligible and will not receive the 18th installment. This development is part of efforts to prevent misuse of the country’s largest Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme.
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The PM Kisan Yojana was launched to empower small and marginal farmers financially by offering ₹6,000 annually in three installments. Despite this, many ineligible people started taking advantage of the scheme. After thorough investigations, more than 13 lakh ineligible farmers have been identified and removed from the beneficiary list. Consequently, they will no longer receive future installments, and the government plans to recover the amount they have received so far.
In Bihar alone, it has been found that over 13 lakh farmers were wrongly benefitting from the PM Kisan Yojana. These farmers collectively received around ₹780 crores. Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal has urged all District Magistrates to physically verify the beneficiaries to ensure that ineligible farmers no longer receive these funds.
According to the Agriculture Secretary, the scheme rules clearly state that only one family member can receive the benefit. However, discrepancies were found when Aadhaar cards linked to ration cards under the Public Distribution System (PDS) were matched. The findings revealed that more than one person in a family was receiving benefits, which violates the guidelines of the PM Kisan Yojana.
As per the latest reports, there are 53.1 lakh ration cardholders in Bihar, out of which 66.6 lakh people from the same families are receiving the benefits of the PM Kisan Yojana. This is against the rules, as only one family member should be eligible for the scheme. Despite this, 17 installments have already been sent to these accounts. The Agriculture Secretary has instructed officials to ensure that ineligible beneficiaries do not receive the 18th installment.
The issue is widespread across the state, with the highest numbers in districts like Muzaffarpur and East Champaran. In Muzaffarpur, 57,000 ineligible farmers were found, while in East Champaran, 95,000 ineligible beneficiaries were detected. In Saran, 1.44 lakh ineligible people have been receiving the benefits. The government aims to stop this misuse and ensure only eligible farmers receive support.
For farmers who want to return the received installments voluntarily, the government has provided an online refund option on the official PM Kisan Yojana website. Ineligible farmers can follow these steps to return the funds:
While there is no official confirmation, reports suggest that the 18th installment of the PM Kisan Yojana could be released in October 2024. As per the scheme, farmers receive ₹6,000 annually, divided into three installments of ₹2,000 each. The 17th installment was credited on June 30, 2024.
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The identification of ineligible beneficiaries under the PM Kisan Yojana is a significant step towards ensuring that only deserving farmers benefit from the scheme. With a strict verification process in place, the government is working to prevent misuse and continue supporting genuine farmers across the country.