Budget: Govt may trim PM-KISAN allocation by 20 pc to Rs 60k cr

New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) government may reduce allocation for PM-KISAN scheme by 20 per cent to around Rs 60,000 crore in upcoming Budget due to implementation hurdles in some states, according to sources.

Centre h allocated Rs 75,000 crore in Budget Estimate (BE) for 2019-20 to implement PM-KISAN scheme, under which Rs 6,000 is being provided to farmers per year in three equal instalments.

However, sources said allocation is estimated to have come down to Rs 61,000 crore in Revised Estimate (RE) for current fiscal as some states, including West Bengal, have t rolled out this scheme and many ors do t have proper data of farmers.

projection of number of beneficiary farmers has also been pegged lower at 14 crore from earlier 14.5 crore.

" government is expected to allocate around Rs 61,000 crore for 2020-21 fiscal, almost same amount that was provided in revised estimate for 2019-20 fiscal," a source said.

allocation in revised budget estimate has been lowered as Central government has so far distributed funds under PM-KISAN scheme to 8.35 crore farmers, sources ded.

In interim Budget presented in February 2019, government h launched Prhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN).

That apart, government may increase farm credit target by 10 per cent from Rs 13.5 lakh crore targeted for this fiscal, sources said.

target for agriculture credit for this fiscal has alrey been achieved.

Sources also said government may allocate Rs 15,000 crore for farm insurance scheme, up from Rs 14,000 crore in current year. Alrey, government has disbursed Rs 12,135 crore towards premium till December 2019. PTI LUX MJH ABM