Government’s Big Cleanup Drive in PM-Kisan Scheme: Over 31 Lakh Doubtful Beneficiaries Under Review

The Central Government has intensified its efforts to ensure transparency in the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme ahead of its 21st installment. A large-scale verification drive has been launched after reports emerged that several farmers — including husband-wife pairs — were receiving benefits in violation of the scheme’s rules.

According to official data, over 31.01 lakh beneficiaries have been flagged as “suspicious” across various states and union territories. The government found that in many households, both husband and wife were receiving the ₹6,000 annual assistance meant only for one member per family. Under the PM-Kisan guidelines, only one person — either the husband or the wife — is eligible to get the benefit.

This revelation came to light after the Union Agriculture Ministry conducted a detailed review and initiated a digital verification process. The ministry has written to all state governments, directing them to complete verification of such cases by October 15, 2025.

Mass Verification Drive Before the 21st Installment

Out of the 31.01 lakh questionable cases, verification has already been completed for 19.02 lakh beneficiaries. Shockingly, 17.87 lakh of them — almost 94 percent — were found to be cases where both spouses were availing of the PM-Kisan funds simultaneously.

The government’s verification campaign is expected to clean up the beneficiary database before the 21st installment is released nationwide. This move comes amid growing concerns over fraudulent claims and double benefits being drawn under the popular rural welfare scheme.

As per PM-Kisan’s rules, the ₹6,000 annual amount is provided in three equal installments of ₹2,000 each to eligible farmers. The goal is to support small and marginal farmers by supplementing their income for agricultural needs. However, the misuse of the scheme by ineligible or duplicate beneficiaries has prompted the government to take strict corrective measures.

Minors and Fake Ownership Details Under Scanner

The central government’s investigation has revealed even more concerning data. Around 1.76 lakh minors were found to be receiving PM-Kisan funds — a clear violation of eligibility norms. Moreover, 33.34 lakh cases were flagged for discrepancies in land ownership details, where information about previous landowners was either missing or incorrect.

As per the official guidelines, any land transferred after February 1, 2019, must include verified details of both the new and previous owners to prevent double payments. However, the review has exposed 8.11 lakh cases where both the current and previous landowners appear to have received benefits for the same property.

These findings have raised serious questions about loopholes in beneficiary verification and data management at the state level. The Agriculture Ministry is now working closely with state departments to ensure that only legitimate farmers remain on the list.

When Will the 21st PM-Kisan Installment Be Released?

While the government has already released the 21st installment to farmers in flood-affected regions such as Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Uttarakhand, other states are still awaiting the funds. The disbursement for these states is likely to happen once the verification drive concludes.

Reports suggest that the remaining beneficiaries may receive their ₹2,000 installment before Diwali if the review process is completed in time. However, if the verification takes longer, payments could be delayed until November 2025.

As of now, neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has officially announced a date for the nationwide rollout of the next installment.

Government’s Message: Strict Action Against Ineligible Beneficiaries

The Ministry has made it clear that any beneficiary found to have availed the scheme fraudulently will be removed from the database, and the wrongly credited funds may be recovered. This step is seen as part of the Modi government’s broader mission to ensure “transparency and accountability” in welfare schemes.

The government’s ongoing cleanup effort sends a strong message — PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana is only for genuine farmers, and misuse will not be tolerated.