The PM Kisan scheme enables to support the financial needs of all land holding farmers in order to purchase various inputs timely and ensure proper crop health and adequate yields. Keeping this in view, a study was conducted to analyse the economics of PM Kisan scheme for the 2020-21 Kharif season in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya. Primary data on cost and returns of the paddy crop (main crop) were collected by interviewing the farmers through personal visits with the help of an especially structured and pre-tested schedule. From the cost and returns calculated, it was found that there was an increase of 2.14 per cent, 4.74 per cent and 8.71 per cent on the cost of cultivation, gross returns and net returns, respectively for beneficiaries than that of the non-beneficiaries in Kharif 2020-21. This shows farmer distress has reduced to extent and beneficiary farmers are willing to spend more for better returns. From the study it can be concluded that the beneficiary farmers are somewhat benefited from the PM-Kisan scheme.

Highlights

• The Government launched PM Kisan on 1st December 2018 to enhance the income of the Small and Marginal Farmers and later to all landholding farmers with subject to certain exclusion criteria of economic status.
• Under the Scheme, direct benefit transfer of ` 6000 per year is transferred in three instalments for every four months of ` 2000 each into the Aadhar ceded bank accounts for the eligible landholding farmers.
• Overall cost of cultivation, gross returns and net returns of beneficiary farmers were higher than that of non-beneficiary farmers.
• This shows reduction of financial distress in beneficiary farmers to certain extent and increase in returns from the use of distributed PM Kisan scheme amount.