Patna, Sep 10 (IANS): The Central government has deemed over 81,595 farmers of Bihar ineligible for the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme due to their good financial condition, an official of the state Agriculture Department said on Sunday.

He added that the state government has been asked to start the process of collecting the funds from beneficiaries through the banks concerned.

The official said that 45,879 farmers were found to be income tax payees and remaining 35,716 were due to other reasons.

"Keeping in view of their financial status, they were not fulfilling the parameters of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme and hence, became ineligible as beneficiaries," Additional Director, Agriculture, Dhananjay Pati Tripathi told IANS.

"The Central government has asked the Agriculture Department to start the proceedings of refund from the farmers who have already taken the financial benefits under this scheme," he said.

A meeting of the state bankers committee was held recently where officials have been asked to initiate the process of refund collection on a priority basis. The lenders have been asked to send notices to the beneficiaries to return the money.

As per the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme which was launched on December 1, 2018, farmers, who are not paying income tax, are eligible for availing the fund to the tune of Rs 6,000 per year.

Some of the farmers have already returned the money to the banks.