PM Kisan 21st Instalment 2025: Check The Rules And Eligibility Criteria

PM Kisan 21st Instalment 2025: The PM Kisan Samman Nidhi provides financial support to farmers in three instalments every year, usually four months apart. The 18th instalment was credited in October 2024, the 19th followed in February 2025, while the 20th reached accounts in August 2025 after a short delay.

Following this pattern, the 21st instalment is expected in October or November 2025. An official announcement is yet to be made by the government.

How Much Do Farmers Receive

Under this scheme, eligible farmers get Rs 2,000 every four months. In total, the beneficiaries receive Rs 6,000 a year as direct income support. The monetary benefit is directly transferred into the bank account of the beneficiary through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.

During the last release credited on August 2, 2025, farmers received Rs 2,000 each. This increased the overall disbursement for the 20th instalment to Rs 20,500 crore, aiding approximately 9.7 crore farmers nationwide.

Who Can Apply

The scheme covers all landholding farmer families who have cultivable land registered in their names. A “family” under PM Kisan means husband, wife and minor children. Once the land records are verified, the family can receive benefits regularly.

Who Is Not Eligible

Some categories of farmers are excluded from PM Kisan benefits. Institutional landholders cannot apply. Families where even one member holds or has held high public office such as constitutional posts, ministerial positions, or membership in Parliament, state legislatures, municipal corporations or district panchayats are also not eligible.

The rules also exclude serving or retired officers and employees of central or state governments, public sector undertakings, autonomous institutions, and regular employees of local bodies. Only Class IV, Group D or multitasking staff are exempt from this restriction.

Retired pensioners who receive Rs 10,000 or more each month are not eligible, except those in the lowest categories of service. Similarly, individuals who paid income tax in the previous assessment year cannot avail of the scheme. Professionals like doctors, engineers, lawyers, chartered accountants and architects who are actively practising are also excluded.