Karnataka urges Centre to release PM-KISAN funds for 31,340 eligible farmers

New Delhi: Karnataka on Wednesday informed the Centre that 31,340 eligible farmers in the state had not received financial assistance for the period August–November 2025 under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme and requested immediate steps to release the funds.

Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy, who met Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, submitted a memorandum to this effect.

The scheme, launched by the Modi government on February 24, 2019, aims to provide income support to small and marginal farmers across the country. Under PM-KISAN, eligible farmers receive Rs 6,000 annually in three equal instalments directly into their bank accounts.

Karnataka also sought an additional Rs 250 crore from the Centre to state under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation to meet growing demand.Due to increased mechanisation in agriculture, there is higher demand for agricultural equipment. Sanctioning additional funds would be very helpful, the Minister said.

The minister also sought an additional Rs 250 crore under the 'Per Drop More Crop' component to promote the micro-irrigation scheme.

As Karnataka is the second-most drought-prone state in the country, aggressive implementation of micro-irrigation is needed to prevent frequent crop losses in the state's largely rain-dependent agriculture, he added.

Under the National Food Security Mission–Nutrient Management (NFSM), Cheluvarayaswamy sought approval for the distribution of green manure seeds, animal-drawn equipment, and other locally specific interventions.

A revised action plan has been submitted for the pulses self-reliance scheme for the 2025–26 rabi season, and permission was sought to utilise funds under the Nutri-Cereals component for an international trade fair in accordance with the state's Karnataka Trade and Investment Promotion Policy (KTIPP) Act.

He requested approval to implement the Raitasiri scheme in line with state rules through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to provide incentives to millet-growing farmers.

Approval was also sought for the implementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Bengal gram (chana) under the Rabi Marketing Season 2025–26, the memorandum stated.