New Delhi, Jun 18 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to release the 17th installment of PM-KISAN scheme in Varanasi on Tuesday. This will lead to a payout of over Rs 20,000 crore being transferred into accounts of more than 9.26 crore farmers.

As per official figures, more than Rs 3.04 lakh crore has already been disbursed into accounts of more than 11 crore farmers across the nation and with the release of the 17th installment, the total amount transferred to the beneficiaries since the inception of the scheme will cross Rs 3.24 lakh crore.

Ahead of the disbursement of 17th installment of PM-KISAN scheme, below are some highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's flagship scheme.

* World's largest Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme

This initiative is one of the world's largest Direct Benefit Transfer schemes which leverages digital platforms for transparent enrollment and transfer of welfare funds to farmers.

PM-KISAN has ended reliance on moneylenders and fostered sustainable farming practices.

By eliminating intermediaries, the scheme ensures equitable support reaches all farmers, marking a significant step towards agricultural empowerment and financial inclusion.

* Example of Cooperative Federalism

The scheme is a shining example of cooperative federalism as the States register and verify the eligibility of farmers while the Centre provides 100 per cent funding for the scheme.

At least one out of four beneficiaries is a woman farmer while more than 85 per cent of small and marginal farmers account for beneficiaries under the scheme.

* Technology for Transparency

Under the PM-KISAN, a farmer-centric digital infrastructure have been created to ensure the benefits of the scheme reach all the farmers across the country, without involvement of any middlemen.

The PM-KISAN portal has been integrated with the portals of UIDAI, PFMS, NPCI, and the Income Tax department.

The states/ UTs and all other stakeholders are on-boarded on the PM-KISAN platform to provide quick services to the farmers.

While farmers can register their grievances on the PM-KISAN portal and take the help of a 24x7 call facility for an effective and timely resolution, the government has also developed 'Kisan e-Mitra' (a voice-based AI Chatbot), which enables farmers to raise queries and get them resolved in their own language in real-time.

The Kisan-e Mitra is now available in 11 languages i.e., English, Hindi, Odia, Tamil, Bangla, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Kannada, Telugu and Marathi.

* Achievements and Accolades

With the 17th installment release, the total funds released to farmers under PM-Kisan will be more than Rs 3.24 lakh crore.

Of this, Rs 1.75 lakh crore was transferred to eligible farmers during the Covid period, when they most needed direct cash benefits.

In the last five years, the scheme has crossed many milestones and has received accolades from various organisations, including the World Bank, for its sheer vision, scale, and the seamless transfer of funds directly to the accounts of eligible farmers.

A study conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on farmers of Uttar Pradesh indicates that the benefits under the PM-Kisan reached the majority of farmers, and they received the full amount without any leakages.