With the Central government relaxing recently an important norm of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) to cover all types of farmers, around 45% of agriculturists in the State – about 35 lakh farmers – may be brought under the fold of PM-KISAN.

Aimed at providing income support, the scheme envisages the annual payment of ₹6,000 to be paid each to beneficiaries in three instalments. When the scheme was announced in February, it was meant for small and marginal farmers. About 10 days ago, the Union government issued a revised set of guidelines to include all types of farmers, regardless of the size of landholding. This followed an assurance by the Bharatiya Janata Party in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections.

So far, the Centre has allowed the enrolment of around 24.5 lakh farmers in the State against submission by the State government of about 28 lakh applications. A senior official of the State Agriculture Department says the Central authorities invariably take 10 days to clear applications forwarded by States.

The official is hopeful of getting applications at least from seven more lakh farmers, as weekly review meetings are being held with District Collectors to ensure that no eligible farmer is left out of the ambit of the scheme.

The change in the rule enables the inclusion of about 3.4 lakh farmers. In addition, about 1.15 lakh applications of those who have inherited cultivable lands from their ancestors have been accepted by the State government. Approximately 59,300 new farmers, left out of the last Agricultural Census conducted during 2015-16, are being admitted.

Explaining why only about 35 lakh farmers may get covered under the scheme against the total number of about 79.4 lakh farmers (as assessed under the Census), the official says there are exclusion clauses in the scheme. Employees and pensioners of the Central and State governments, income tax assessees and professionals are excluded. Besides, only one member of a family gets covered under the scheme, even if more than one member of a family is having “patta” (land document). For instance, in a family, if the husband and the wife have the documents, only one will be eligible for the income support. Institutions are also excluded.

In view of large tracts of lands being owned by temples in the Cauvery delta, the State government has written to the Centre to exempt temple-owned lands from the exclusion clauses. In fact, in early March, it was at the suggestion of the Tamil Nadu government that the Centre decided to amend rules regarding eligibility of beneficiaries. The amendment permitted those, who became owners of lands due to succession after the cut off date of February 1, 2019, to get covered under the scheme, even in the absence of “pattas.” On production of legal heir certificates, the cases of such persons would be accepted which would be followed up with correction of the relevant land records, the official adds.

As of now, the Centre has paid around ₹ 835 crore in two instalments to about 21.1 lakh farmers in the State.