India to Release 24th PM-KISAN Installment to Over 93 Million Farmers

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to release the 24th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi program on Friday, October 30, 2026, during an event held in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat. The disbursement will deliver direct financial assistance to more than 93.4 million eligible farmer families nationwide. Officials noted that the funds will be transferred digitally through the Direct Benefit Transfer system directly into bank accounts linked with beneficiaries' national identification cards.

The total sum disbursed through this distribution exceeds 18,680 crore rupees, though some official reports cite the total at more than 18,690 crore rupees. Initiated by the central government to alleviate financial stress on small and marginal growers, the program distributes an annual payment of 6,000 rupees divided into three equal installments of 2,000 rupees. The initiative originally began in 2018 and was formally implemented in February 2019, targeting routine farming overheads such as seeds, fertilizers, and related inputs.

Government data shows that across the previous 23 installments, the program has disbursed more than 4.47 lakh crore rupees to qualifying agricultural households. To secure the initiative's long-term framework, the central government approved an extension in July covering the 2026–27 through 2030–31 fiscal cycles, backed by a designated budget allocation of 3.15 lakh crore rupees.

Beyond executing the national payment transfer, Modi will also dedicate several agricultural support projects during the proceedings in Banaskantha. These projects include commissioning 521 new operational units established under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, a program that has directed approximately 1.75 lakh crore rupees across 228,000 projects to bolster storage, processing, and post-harvest infrastructure. The prime minister will also officially open 12 specialized horticulture clusters intended to cultivate high-value crops and augment farmer earnings.

Multiple regional administrations have organized simultaneous events to celebrate the distribution, designated as PM-Kisan Utsav Diwas. In Bihar, Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha announced that over 7.3 million state farmers will collectively receive 1,476 crore rupees, with a major state-level assembly taking place at Gyan Bhawan in Patna alongside Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and agricultural officials. In Madhya Pradesh, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is scheduled to attend a regional gathering in Raisen district to interact with agricultural workers.

In Uttar Pradesh's Deoria district, District Magistrate Madhusudan Hulgi directed administrative bodies at village, block, and district levels, alongside local agricultural science centers, to broadcast the proceedings live. Local officials were instructed to facilitate farmer registrations, clear bureaucratic formalities, resolve beneficiary complaints, and ensure comprehensive public outreach regarding eligibility guidelines.

Authorities emphasized that registration alone does not guarantee receipt of the 2,000-rupee installment. Payments remain conditional on satisfying strict verification protocols, including biometric or one-time password electronic Know Your Customer procedures, bank account linkage with Direct Benefit Transfer systems, and authenticated land ownership records. Officials warned farmers to review their standing on the official website to correct any data discrepancies that could prevent processing.