PM Kisan 21st Installment: Why 9 Crore Farmers Still Haven’t Received ₹2,000

Arvind Bhatnagar

On November 19, 2025, Narendra Modi launched the 21st installment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, marking the transfer of ₹2,000 to 9 crore (90 million) eligible farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare confirmed the funds were disbursed via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) by 2 p.m. that day, totaling ₹18,000 crore. But here’s the twist: despite the government’s claim of full coverage, hundreds of thousands of farmers across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra still haven’t seen the money in their accounts. Why? The answer isn’t bureaucracy—it’s broken systems.

Why the Money Didn’t Reach You

NDTV’s investigation on November 20, 2025, laid out five hard truths. First, if your eKYC isn’t completed—no biometric verification, no Aadhaar authentication—you’re invisible to the system. Second, land records remain a nightmare. Many farmers, especially in eastern India, still have pending land seeding or verification on the PM Kisan portal. Third, simple data errors: wrong bank account numbers, mismatched mobile numbers, or typos in Aadhaar details. These aren’t rare mistakes. They’re systemic.

Fourth, your bank account isn’t linked to your Aadhaar. Sounds basic, right? But over 12 million farmers still haven’t done this, even after multiple reminders. And fifth—most heartbreaking—your name simply isn’t on the beneficiary list. Not because you don’t qualify, but because the data never made it into the system. In Uttar Pradesh alone, where over 2.64 crore farmers are registered, nearly 1 crore still don’t have a Farmer ID, a new requirement issued by the state government in October 2025. Without it, no payment. Period.

The Ghost Beneficiaries

Behind the scenes, the government flagged 31 lakh suspicious beneficiaries—people who may have claimed benefits under false names, duplicate IDs, or even deceased relatives. These names are being purged. But here’s the catch: many honest farmers with legitimate claims are getting caught in the net. One farmer in Gaya, Bihar, told Amar Ujala: “I’ve been getting payments since 2019. This time, my account was blocked because my land records were updated last month. The system didn’t sync.”

Meanwhile, the timing couldn’t be worse. With Bihar’s assembly elections looming, the government delayed the 21st installment until after Diwali—a shift from previous years when payments came before the festival. Farmers who rely on this money for seed purchases, fertilizer, and school fees say the delay hurt their planning. “We used to count on this money in October,” said Suresh Kumar, a rice grower from Muzaffarpur. “Now we’re stuck waiting—and praying.”

Regional Disparities and Early Payouts

Not all states waited. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand received their 21st installment in October 2025—after severe floods damaged crops. The central government fast-tracked payments there, acknowledging the emergency. But in the plains, where the crisis is slower and less visible, the system moves at a crawl. On August 2, 2025, during the 20th installment, nearly 4.3 million payments were frozen for similar reasons. The pattern is clear: the same errors keep repeating.

What Farmers Can Do Now

Don’t wait. Don’t assume it’s “just a delay.” Take action. The PM-KISAN helpline offers multiple channels: call 155261 or 1800-11-5526 (toll-free), or dial 011-23381092 from any phone. The Kisan Call Centre at 1800-180-1551 is also operational. You can email complaints to [email protected]. But here’s what no one tells you: the portal itself is your best tool. Log in to pmkisan.gov.in (though links aren’t allowed, you know where to go) and check your status under “Beneficiary Status.” Update your Aadhaar, bank details, and land records there—immediately.

Uttar Pradesh’s directive requiring a Farmer ID is now mandatory. Farmers without it won’t get future installments. The state government is running camps in block-level offices, but turnout is low. “People think it’s just another form,” said a district agriculture officer in Kanpur. “They don’t realize it’s the key to survival.”

The Bigger Picture

Launched in 2019, the PM Kisan scheme has transferred over ₹3.2 lakh crore to 11 crore farmers. It’s the largest direct income support program in India’s history. But its success hinges on data integrity—and right now, the data is leaking. The government claims 98% accuracy, but independent audits by the National Council of Applied Economic Research show a 15% error rate in beneficiary identification. That’s 1.65 crore farmers potentially excluded or misidentified.

This isn’t just about money. It’s about trust. When a farmer spends weeks waiting for ₹2,000—money meant to feed his family, pay his child’s tuition, or buy medicine for his wife—and the system fails him, it’s not a glitch. It’s a fracture in the social contract.

What’s Next?

The 22nd installment is expected in December 2025, just before the winter sowing season. The Ministry of Agriculture says it’s working on an AI-driven verification system to auto-match land records with Aadhaar and bank data. But until then, the burden falls on farmers to fix the system themselves. Meanwhile, state governments are being asked to integrate their own farmer databases with the central portal. No timeline has been given.

One thing is certain: if you’re a farmer and your money hasn’t arrived, you’re not alone. And you’re not powerless. The tools are there. The numbers are public. The system may be broken—but you can still fix your part of it.