PM Kisan Fund Transfer Journey Explained: How money is credited directly to farmers’ bank accounts – Know full process
The government transferred around ₹18,690 crore to more than 9.34 crore farmers under the 24th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on Friday, October 30.
The amount was released through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism at an event in Banaskantha, Gujarat. But how does the money reach beneficiaries, and what checks are carried out before it is credited to their bank accounts?
The process involves multiple stages, including farmer registration, verification of land and banking records, Aadhaar authentication and approval by state authorities. The Public Financial Management System (PFMS) and banking networks also play a role in ensuring that payments reach eligible beneficiaries without intermediaries.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, cumulative disbursements under the scheme have crossed ₹4.64 lakh crore since its launch.
How does the PM-KISAN fund transfer process work?
The payment process involves the following steps:
1. Farmer registration: Eligible farmers can register through the PM-KISAN portal, mobile application or Common Service Centres (CSCs) by submitting their personal, landholding and bank account details.
2. State-level verification: State governments and Union Territories verify the submitted information, identify eligible farmer families and upload beneficiary records to the portal.
3. Aadhaar and bank account validation: The system validates beneficiaries’ Aadhaar and bank account details to identify duplicate or ineligible entries. Land records must also be seeded on the PM-KISAN portal.
4. PFMS verification: Following state-level approval, beneficiary records are forwarded to the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) for bank account verification.
5. Payment request generation: Once the details are validated, fund transfer requests and payment orders are generated for eligible beneficiaries.
6. Sanction of funds: The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare issues the necessary sanction orders for disbursement.
7. Banking network processing: Payments are processed through sponsor banks and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
8. Direct bank transfer: The approved amount is credited directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the DBT system.
How much financial assistance does PM-KISAN provide?
Launched on February 24, 2019, PM-KISAN is a central sector scheme that provides income support to eligible landholding farmer families across India.
Under the programme, each eligible family receives ₹6,000 annually in three equal instalments of ₹2,000. The assistance is intended to help farmers meet agricultural expenses, including the purchase of seeds, fertilisers, irrigation equipment and other farming inputs.
The ministry says the support helps improve agricultural productivity, reduces farmers’ dependence on informal credit and strengthens the financial stability of rural households.
To receive the benefits, farmers must meet the scheme’s eligibility conditions, ensure their land records are seeded on the portal, link their bank accounts with Aadhaar and complete e-KYC verification.
Who identifies and verifies PM-KISAN beneficiaries?
State governments and Union Territories are responsible for identifying eligible farmer households and maintaining beneficiary databases.
These records contain details such as the farmer’s name, age, category, Aadhaar number, bank account information and mobile number. Authorities regularly update and digitise the database to maintain accuracy and prevent duplicate payments.
To improve transparency, beneficiary lists are displayed publicly at the village level. Farmers who believe they have been wrongly excluded can approach the designated grievance redressal mechanisms.
The government also initiates recovery proceedings against ineligible individuals who receive scheme benefits. These categories include income tax payers, government employees, personnel working in public sector undertakings (PSUs) and holders of constitutional posts.
As of December 2025, ₹416.75 crore had been recovered from ineligible beneficiaries nationwide, according to the ministry.
How can farmers complete PM-KISAN e-KYC?
Aadhaar-based authentication is an important requirement for verifying beneficiaries. Farmers can complete e-KYC through three methods:
OTP-based authentication: Verification using a one-time password.
Biometric authentication: Identity verification through biometric facilities.
Face authentication: Verification by scanning the beneficiary’s face through the mobile application.
The face authentication facility was introduced in the PM-KISAN mobile application in 2023. It allows farmers to complete e-KYC without requiring an OTP or fingerprint scan.
How do the PM-KISAN portal, app and chatbot help farmers?
The PM-KISAN web portal serves as the central platform for beneficiary registration, verification and data management. It maintains a unified national database and integrates with PFMS to facilitate fund transfers.
Farmers can also access scheme-related services through the PM-KISAN mobile application, launched in 2020. It enables self-registration, payment status tracking and e-KYC verification.
In September 2023, the government introduced Kisan-eMitra, an AI-enabled chatbot integrated with the PM-KISAN digital ecosystem. Developed with technical support from the EkStep Foundation and BHASHINI, it provides information about registrations, payments and eligibility.
The chatbot offers round-the-clock assistance in 11 languages: Hindi, English, Tamil, Bengali, Odia, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Marathi and Kannada.
Through voice- and text-based queries, farmers can check application status, track payment updates and seek information about the scheme.
What is the government’s allocation for PM-KISAN?
The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of PM-KISAN from 2026-27 to 2030-31 in July 2026, with a total financial outlay of ₹3.15 lakh crore.
The Union Budget 2026-27 separately allocated ₹60,000 crore for the scheme.
The ministry said the programme aims to strengthen farmers’ income security by providing direct financial assistance for agricultural inputs and supporting farming activities. Its digital payment infrastructure and verification mechanisms are intended to improve transparency and accountability in benefit delivery.
