Small and marginal cultivators form the backbone of agriculture and play a central role in sustaining the rural economy. Yet, they remain highly vulnerable to financial strain caused by erratic weather patterns, climate change, and fluctuating market conditions. To ease this burden, the Government of Maharashtra introduced the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana, designed to complement the Union government’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi initiative.Under the PM-KISAN program, eligible small farmers receive ₹6,000 annually from the central government. Mirroring this structure, the state-level Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana grants an additional ₹6,000 per year to each registered small farmer in Maharashtra. Combined, these two schemes ensure that beneficiaries receive ₹12,000 annually, directly transferred to their linked bank accounts.The program presently covers nearly 1.15 crore farming families across the state. It was rolled out during the tenure of the Mahayuti government (1.0), with Devendra Fadnavis playing a pivotal role as Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister. In the 2023–24 state budget, he earmarked ₹6,900 crore to ensure effective implementation of the scheme, reinforcing financial support for small farmers and strengthening the rural economy.
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Namo Shetkari Samman Nidhi Yojana – Namo Shetkari Samman Nidhi
2023
While presenting the 2023–24 state budget, then Finance Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, declared the launch of the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana. The scheme was conceptualized to complement the Union government’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, effectively doubling the annual income assistance available to eligible farmers in the state. The proposal later received formal approval in the state cabinet meeting held on 30 May 2023.
Under this framework, farmers are entitled to a combined annual support of ₹12,000—₹6,000 from the central PM-KISAN scheme and an additional ₹6,000 from the state’s Namo Shetkari initiative. Regarding the state component, it was resolved that ₹2,000 would be credited directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts every four months. The first installment was scheduled for April 2023, followed by subsequent payments in July and November.To avail themselves of the state benefit, farmers were required to be registered under the PM-KISAN program through the official PM-Kisan portal, making enrollment in the central scheme mandatory for eligibility.
Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana – Cabinet Meeting Decision No. 3, May 30, 2023
Modeled on the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, the state introduced the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana to extend additional financial backing to farmers in Maharashtra. Under this arrangement, cultivators receive ₹6,000 annually from the state government over and above the ₹6,000 assistance provided by the Centre, thereby ensuring a combined yearly support of ₹12,000.
The initiative was announced by Finance Minister Devendra Fadnavis during his 2023–24 budget address. Following the announcement, the state cabinet cleared the proposal within the same financial year to grant ₹6,000 per annum to farmers already enrolled under the PM-KISAN scheme. Subsequently, a government resolution formalizing the rollout of the program was issued on 15 June 2023.
Criteria for Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana
The Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana has been structured on the same framework as the Union government’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, adopting identical eligibility norms and operational guidelines.
In effect, the criteria and conditions applicable under PM-KISAN have been mirrored in the state-level initiative. All farmers from Maharashtra who are recognized beneficiaries under the PM-KISAN program and duly enrolled on the official PM-Kisan portal automatically qualify for the Namo Shetkari scheme.
Additionally, farmers who complete fresh registration on the PM-Kisan portal and meet the prescribed eligibility standards are also entitled to receive benefits under the state program.
Financial assistance under the scheme is transferred directly into the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of eligible farmers through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. The formal approval for implementing the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana was granted through a Government Resolution dated 15 June 2023.
