Millions of farmers across India are waiting for the 22nd installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, which provides financial support to eligible farmers. Under this scheme, the government transfers ₹6,000 annually to beneficiaries in three equal installments of ₹2,000 each through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
Although farmers usually receive the December–March installment earlier in the year, the 22nd installment in 2026 has been slightly delayed, leaving many beneficiaries wondering when the next payment will arrive.
When Could the 22nd PM Kisan Installment Be Released?
Based on previous trends, the upcoming installment is expected to be credited in the first or second week of March 2026. However, the government has not yet announced an official release date.
Since the scheme was launched in February 2019, the government has already released 21 installments to farmers across the country. The next payment of ₹2,000 will mark the 22nd installment under the program.
Past Release Dates of PM Kisan Installments
A look at previous records shows that the installment for the December–March cycle is usually released between January and February.
| Year | Cycle | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Launch Year | 24 February 2019 |
| 2020 | December–March | 2 January 2020 |
| 2021 | December–March | 25 December 2020 |
| 2022 | December–March | 1 January 2022 |
| 2023 | December–March | 27 February 2023 |
| 2024 | December–March | 28 February 2024 |
| 2025 | December–March | 24 February 2025 |
Based on this pattern, experts believe the 2026 installment could arrive in early or mid-March.
Why Is the 22nd Installment Delayed?
The main reason for the delay this year is a large-scale beneficiary verification drive being carried out by the government.
Authorities are reviewing the beneficiary database to ensure that only eligible farmers receive the financial support. As part of this process, the government has been verifying land records, Aadhaar details, and bank account information.
Reports indicate that millions of ineligible names have been removed from the list during the verification process. In fact, during the release of the 21st installment alone, around 70 lakh beneficiaries were reportedly removed after they were found to be ineligible.
Reasons Why a Farmer’s Name May Be Removed
Farmers may be removed from the PM Kisan beneficiary list for several reasons, including:
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Incomplete e-KYC verification
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Land records not linked to the beneficiary account
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Aadhaar not linked with the bank account
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Income tax payers wrongly receiving benefits
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Duplicate registrations within the same family
The government says these checks are necessary to increase transparency and prevent misuse of public funds.
e-KYC Is Mandatory for Receiving Installments
The government has made e-KYC mandatory for all registered beneficiaries.
Farmers can complete e-KYC through three methods:
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OTP verification on the PM Kisan portal
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Face authentication through the PM Kisan mobile app
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Biometric verification at the nearest Common Service Centre (CSC)
Without completing e-KYC, farmers may not receive the upcoming installment.
Farmer ID Now Mandatory in Some States
Another major update is the introduction of Farmer ID requirements in several states.
According to reports, 14 states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Bihar have made Farmer ID mandatory for new registrations under the PM Kisan scheme.
Additionally, farmers must ensure that their Aadhaar is linked with their bank account to receive DBT payments. Even minor spelling errors in name or account details may lead to payment delays.
How Farmers Can Check Their Beneficiary Status
Farmers can easily verify their status online by following these steps:
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Visit the official PM Kisan website (pmkisan.gov.in)
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Go to Farmers Corner
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Click on “Know Your Status”
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Enter the Registration Number and captcha code
Farmers should ensure that the following details show “Yes” on the portal:
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e-KYC
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Land Seeding
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Aadhaar Bank Seeding
If any of these fields show “No”, they must update the information immediately.
What If You Missed the Previous Installment?
If a farmer’s name was removed earlier due to incomplete verification but the details have now been corrected, the farmer may become eligible again after the verification process.
In some cases, pending installments may also be released later, depending on eligibility and successful verification.
With the verification process nearing completion, farmers can expect the 22nd installment of ₹2,000 to be credited soon, provided all required details such as e-KYC, Aadhaar linking, and land verification are properly updated.
