B’gavi the worst-hit Karnataka district as 41,459 miss PM-KISAN payment

Belagavi: Belagavi has emerged the worst-affected district in Karnataka under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, with 41,459 farmers missing out on the 23rd instalment due to incomplete e-KYC formalities or failure to link their Aadhaar with bank accounts.Under the PM-KISAN scheme, the Union govt transfers Rs 2,000 every four months — amounting to Rs. 6,000 annually — directly into the bank accounts of eligible farmers through direct benefit transfer (DBT).Centre released the 23rd installment on June 20. However, of the 5,37,165 eligible beneficiaries in Belagavi district, e-KYC of 22,561 farmers is still pending, while 18,898 farmers have not linked their Aadhaar numbers with their bank accounts.

As a result, these farmers have not received the 23rd installment of PM-KISAN.Belagavi recorded the highest number of beneficiaries who were left out, followed by Tumakuru (41,082), Bidar (29,910) districts.Across the state, there are 46,69,841 eligible farmers for this scheme. Of these, 3,80,428 have not completed their e-KYC, while 2,27,384 are yet to link their Aadhaar numbers with their bank accounts.The state agriculture department, the nodal agency for implementing the scheme in Karnataka, has directed field-level officials to intensify awareness campaigns and assist farmers in completing e-KYC and Aadhaar-bank account linkage at the earliest.

Speaking to TOI, HD Kolekar, the joint director of agriculture, Karnataka, said: “Farmers who missed the PM-KISAN instalment don’t need to worry. They will get their pending instalments in the next cycle, once they complete e-KYC and link their Aadhaar numbers with their bank accounts.”BOXHow to Complete e-KYCFarmers can complete e-KYC through OTP authentication, using the mobile number linked to their Aadhaar number, on the PM-KISAN portal or mobile application.Alternatively, they can visit a Common Service Centre (CSC) or State Service Centre (SSC) for biometric authentication, using their Aadhaar card.The PM-KISAN mobile app also offers authentication through facial recognition for completion of e-KYC. The updated status generally reflects on the PM-KISAN portal within 24 hours.