Agriculture still supports nearly half of India's workforce, and a cluster of government schemes aims to steady farmers' incomes and cushion them against risk. The best known is PM-KISAN, which puts money directly into farmers' bank accounts — but it works alongside crop insurance and cheap credit. This guide explains the main farmer-welfare schemes in 2026: who qualifies, what they provide, and how to apply.
PM-KISAN: direct income support
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) gives eligible landholding farmer families 6,000 a year, paid in three equal installments of 2,000 roughly every four months, straight into their bank accounts through direct benefit transfer. It is one of the largest direct-income programmes in the world, reaching more than nine crore farmers. By the middle of 2025, the 20th installment had been released; the schedule continues periodically, so farmers should check the portal for the current status.
Who is eligible — and who is not
Eligibility rests on landholding recorded in official records, Indian citizenship, and an Aadhaar-linked bank account. Just as important is the list of exclusions, designed to keep the benefit targeted at those who need it:
- Income-tax payers in the last assessment year.
- Holders of constitutional posts and serving or retired higher-level government employees.
- Professionals such as doctors, engineers, lawyers and chartered accountants in practice.
- Pensioners drawing a monthly pension of 10,000 or more.
A long-standing gap is that tenant farmers and sharecroppers without recorded land rights are generally not covered, even though they do the farming — an issue advocates continue to raise.
Why e-KYC matters
To keep receiving installments, farmers must complete e-KYC. This identity check prevents duplicate and ineligible payments, and it is mandatory — miss it and your payment is held. There are three ways to do it: OTP-based through the portal or mobile app, biometric at a Common Service Centre, or face authentication via the app. Keep your Aadhaar, mobile number and bank details consistent across records to avoid rejected payments.
Crop insurance: PMFBY
Income support does not help if a whole crop fails. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) offers subsidised crop insurance against losses from natural calamities, pests and diseases, with farmers paying only a small share of the premium and the government covering the rest. Enrolment is linked to the crop season, and claims are meant to be settled after assessment of losses. Farmers with crop loans are often enrolled by default but can opt out.
Cheap credit: the Kisan Credit Card
The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) gives farmers access to short-term credit at concessional interest for seeds, fertiliser, labour and allied activities like dairy and fisheries, replacing high-cost informal moneylenders. Timely repayment brings an interest subvention, lowering the effective rate further. It is one of the most practical tools for managing the cash-flow gap between sowing and harvest.
How to apply and stay enrolled
- Register for PM-KISAN on the official pmkisan.gov.in portal or at a Common Service Centre, with land records and Aadhaar.
- Complete e-KYC and link Aadhaar to your bank account.
- For crop insurance, enrol through your bank, a CSC or the PMFBY portal each season.
- Apply for a KCC at your bank.
- Check status and grievances online — and never pay an agent, as all of this is free.
Farmer welfare is strongest when income, insurance and credit work together with rural employment and basic services. See our guides to MGNREGA, PM Awas Yojana and the Jal Jeevan Mission. Many NGOs help farmers access these schemes and adopt better practices — you can find verified rural-development NGOs on NGOLists.
Further reading on NGOLists
- MGNREGA Explained: Job Cards, Wage Rates and Worker Rights in 2026
- PM Awas Yojana (PMAY): Eligibility, Subsidy and How to Apply in 2026
- Jal Jeevan Mission: Tracking India's Progress on Tap Water for Every Home
- Independence Day: How Far Has India Come on Social Development?
- How CSR Funding Works in India: A Guide for Companies