As 75% wait for 3rd instalment, fourth one has Aadhaar rider
‘Fourth instalment will be credited only to those beneficiaries whose Aadhaar and bank accounts details are properly verified and linked’
LUCKNOW: The next (fourth) Rs 2,000 instalment under the PM-KISAN scheme may not be given to Uttar Pradesh farmers who do not get their Aadhaar and bank account numbers validated, even as nearly 75% of the beneficiaries are still waiting to get the third instalment for August-November period due to mismatch in their personal identification details, agriculture department sources said.
Not only have the authorities not been able to verify all the existing beneficiaries’ personal details so far, they have also failed to identify more beneficiaries in the light of the fresh guidelines, under which the scheme is no longer confined to just small and marginal famers but has been extended to all farmers, barring some like those who pay income tax or are in government job etc.
“The Centre has decided to transfer the third instalment, pending verification, but has said the fourth instalment will be credited to only those beneficiaries who use Aadhaar and bank accounts details, properly verified and linked,” sources said.
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) is the Modi government’s initiative, under which all eligible farmers get up to Rs 6,000 per year as minimum income support in three equal installments. The scheme, announced in the February 2019 Budget, had a national launch from Gorakhpur, UP before the Lok Sabha elections. As per the original guidelines, under which the benefit was given only to the small and marginal farmers, there were a total of over 1.74 crore beneficiaries in UP, which is nearly 24% of around 7.38 crore total beneficiaries identified in the whole country.
However, the number of beneficiaries actually getting money in their bank accounts under the scheme has decreased with each phase.
As per information available with the agriculture department (updated till October 1), as many as 1,62,04,466 beneficiaries ,which is 93% of the total beneficiaries, received Rs 2,000 under the first installment credited to their bank account amidst polling for the Lok Sabha elections. This was for December-March period.
The number, under the installment for April-July period declined to 1,41,23402 that is 81% of the total beneficiaries and the third installment for August-November period has reach to only 44,59,007 farmers that is only around 25% of the total beneficiaries.
The money transferred under each of the three installments is Rs 3,215, crore, Rs 2,807 crore and Rs 871 crore, respectively.
“The third installment is being transferred and all eligible farmers will get it,” additional director, agriculture, Rajesh Gupta said, adding, “Mismatches were found with regard to names, bank account numbers, Aadhaar numbers etc provided by farmers and the money is being transferred to them after rectification in their personal details.”
Sources said the first installment was transferred in a hurry to maximum number of beneficiaries in view of the Lok Sabha elections without proper verification but later discrepancies were discovered in beneficiaries’ Aadhaar, bank account and ‘khatauni’ (land records) details.
They also said the government had not made enough publicity to make farmers aware about the issue due to which they was some in confusion.
“Farmers should be educated as to who they should approach to get their personal details verified to get the benefit regularly.
They also said the number of total beneficiaries in UP will go up to around 2.25 crore from the current 1.74 crore once the exercise to identify eligible farmers was taken up as per the fresh guidelines, issued a few months ago, covering all farmers barring certain categories.