PM-Kisan first installment late; Covid blamed

Amid the surge in Covid-19 circumstances, the wait of over 9 crore farmer households for the primary installment of their PM-Kisan payout for the monetary yr 2021-22, is getting longer. Agriculture Ministry sources mentioned it could take “some more” days to switch the installment of Rs 2,000 for the interval April-July to eligible farmer households underneath the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan).
Under the scheme, the federal government supplies Rs 6,000 to eligible farmer households in three equal installments throughout the course of the monetary yr.
The first installment is due between April 1 and July 31. Last yr, most beneficiaries acquired the cash of their financial institution accounts between March 24 and April 20. This yr, as April ends, no farm households has acquired any cash.
Asked the rationale for the delay, an Agriculture Ministry official mentioned, “We are waiting for the states to complete the process of closure of lots and signing of RFTs (Request for Transfer)… We will be in position to release the installment within a week or so.”
According to PM-Kisan pointers, State Nodal Officers (SNOs) authenticate the info of eligible farmers, and add them in batches sometimes on the portal. Based on the verified information, the SNOs signal the RFTs that include the full variety of beneficiaries. The Public Finance Management System (PFMS) then points a Fund Transfer Order (FTO), primarily based on which the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare points the transaction order for the talked about quantity, and the installment is credited into the account of the beneficiary.

“Due to the Covid-19 crisis, field teams are taking longer to complete the verification process,” mentioned the official quoted above. “We have also started recovery action against ineligible beneficiaries. That too, has taken some time.”
The official mentioned, “We want to release an amount of Rs 19,000 crore as the April-July installment to about 9.5 crore eligible farmers at one go, as we did on December 25 last year. We will release the installment as soon as possible.”

On December 25, 2020, PM Narendra Modi had launched Rs 18,000 crore to 9 crore farmer households because the December-March installment for the 2020-21 yr.
In Maharashtra, the place over 83 lakh farmers are ready for first installment, senior officers of state agriculture division mentioned the delay was largely because of the sudden surge in Covid-19 circumstances, which had delayed the method of administrative approvals.
The record of eligible beneficiaries was despatched nicely upfront, an officer mentioned, “but given the Covid-19 situation, there was a delay at the Centre in sending back the list for re-verification with the RFP. We are given to understand that payments would be effected by the end of this month.”