The PM-KISAN scheme was launched in February 2019 to supplement the financial needs of cultivable landholding farmers by transferring Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments into Aadhaar seeded bank accounts through direct benefit transfer. The Government has disbursed Rs 4.27 trillion (tn) in 22 instalments since inception. The release of the 21st instalment on 19 November 2025 resulted in more than 93.5 million (mn) farmers receiving the benefit. The scheme targets small cultivators and aims to strengthen their income security.

Independent and government evaluations indicate meaningful effects on the rural economy and farmer resilience. A 2019 study by the International Food Policy Research Institute found that payments have promoted rural economic growth, eased credit constraints, and encouraged investment in agricultural inputs by improving farmers' risk taking. Department surveys via Kisan Call Centres report that more than 93 per cent of beneficiary farmers use the assistance for agricultural activities. The Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office study of NITI Aayog showed that over 92 per cent used the funds for essential inputs and approximately 85 per cent reported an increase in agricultural income.

The portal includes a dedicated Farmers Corner and a Know Your Status function to check eligibility and instalment payment details, and beneficiaries may also visit local Common Service Centres for assistance. A voice based AI Chatbot Kisan e Mitra was developed to address queries round the clock in native languages and is accessible on web and mobile. The chatbot currently operates in 11 languages and has addressed over 9.5 million (mn) queries from more than 5.3 million (mn) farmers, while also providing beneficiary status and payment information.

Aadhaar is mandatory for registration and all beneficiaries are Aadhaar authenticated with payments made through the Aadhaar Based Payment System directly into seeded bank accounts. The Department conducts focused saturation drives with states and union territories, Common Service Centres and India Post Payments Bank to facilitate Aadhaar seeding. The information was provided by the Minister of State in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.