PM Kisan 19th instalment: Check eligibility, ineligibility for this govt scheme

The government has announced that cash benefits under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, which provides Rs 6,000 to eligible farmers, will be disbursed in three tranches this year. These tranches, totaling 19, 20, and 21 installments of Rs 2,000 each, will be directly deposited into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. The 19th installment is expected to be released in January or February 2025. Official confirmation for the release of the 19th instalment of PM Kisan is still pending.

Through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme, the central government provides farmers' families with a yearly monetary benefit of Rs 6,000 as part of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. This amount is transferred in three equal installments every four months directly into the farmers' bank accounts.

Eligibility and non-eligibility for this scheme 

In order to be eligible for the PM-KISAN benefits, farmers must be the rightful owners of cultivable land. 

Below is a list of individuals who are ineligible to benefit from the PM Kisan Yojana, excluding farmers with high incomes:

> Institutional land holders
> Farmer families falling under the following categories:
i) Former and current holders of constitutional positions
ii) Former and current Ministers/Ministers of State, former/current members of Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha/State Legislatures/State Legislative Councils, former/current Mayors of Municipal Corporations, and former/current Chairpersons of Zila Panchayats.
iii) All serving or retired officers and employees of Ministries/Offices/Departments of Central/State Government and its field units, Central or State PSEs and attached offices/autonomous institutions under the Government, as well as regular employees of local bodies (excluding Multi-tasking employees/Class IV/Group D employees). 
> Professionals: Registered doctors, engineers, chartered accountants, and lawyers are ineligible.
> Taxpayers: Farmers who paid income tax in the previous assessment year are not eligible.
> All superannuated/retired pensioners whose monthly pension is Rs 10,000 or more (excluding multi-tasking staff/class IV/ group D employees) of the above category.

Eye on beneficiaries

Reports indicate that numerous ineligible farmers have been benefiting from the PM Kisan scheme. The government has implemented several measures to reclaim funds from ineligible farmers. As per the latest Press Information Bureau (PIB) release dated December 3, 2024, the concerned state governments have commenced the recovery process from ineligible farmers, including income tax payees, individuals in higher income brackets, and government employees. To date, a total of Rs 335 crore has been successfully recovered from ineligible beneficiaries nationwide.

The government implemented several technological mandates such as integration with PFMS, UIDAI, and the Income Tax Department. Additionally, payment through Aadhaar and e-KYC and other prerequisites were made compulsory. Non-compliance with these requirements led to disqualification from receiving benefits.

How to voluntarily surrender

To voluntarily surrender PM Kisan benefits as an ineligible farmer, please follow the steps outlined below:

Visit the PM Kisan website: (https://pmkisan.gov.in/)
Scroll down and select the 'Voluntary Surrender of PM Kisan Benefits' tab.
Provide your registration number, captcha code, and click on 'Get OTP' (An OTP will be sent to your Aadhaar-registered mobile number).
Enter the OTP to view the total amount received in installments.
Confirm your decision to surrender the PM-Kisan benefits by clicking 'Yes' and entering the OTP. Upon doing so, your account will no longer receive any further benefits.