An elderly woman farmer in Maharashtra's Bhandara district has claimed that she received just '1 paisa' as the 18th instalment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme, prompting officials to cite a technical glitch.
Incident in Bhandara district
Shantabai Uike, a 65-year-old farmer from Deulgaon village in Bhandara district, said she received a message on her mobile phone on June 29, 2026, stating that only Re 0.01 had been credited to her bank account as the 18th instalment of the PM-Kisan scheme. The scheme normally provides Rs 2,000 every four months to eligible farmers.
"I was shocked to see the message. I have been receiving the full amount regularly for years. This time, it showed just one paisa. I don't understand what went wrong," Uike said.
Official clarification
Bhandara district agriculture officer Sangita Mane clarified that the message may have been sent due to a technical error. "It appears to be a glitch in the messaging system. The beneficiary's account has been credited with the full amount of Rs 2,000. We are investigating the matter and will ensure such errors do not recur," Mane said.
Mane added that the farmer can check her bank statement or visit the nearest bank branch to confirm the actual credit. "We advise all beneficiaries to verify their accounts. If anyone faces a similar issue, they should contact the agriculture department immediately," she said.
PM-Kisan scheme details
The PM-Kisan scheme, launched in February 2019, provides income support of Rs 6,000 per year to small and marginal farmers, payable in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 each. The 18th instalment was released in June 2026, covering over 9.5 crore farmers nationwide.
According to government data, Maharashtra has over 1.2 crore registered PM-Kisan beneficiaries. The scheme has been credited with helping farmers meet agricultural expenses and reduce debt burden.
Previous technical issues
This is not the first time technical glitches have affected the PM-Kisan scheme. In 2023, several farmers in Uttar Pradesh reported not receiving instalments due to Aadhaar seeding errors. In 2024, a similar issue occurred in Rajasthan where messages showed incorrect amounts.
Agriculture department officials in Bhandara said they have escalated the matter to the state-level PM-Kisan cell for a thorough review of the messaging system. "We want to ensure that all farmers receive correct information. A wrong message can cause unnecessary panic," Mane said.
Impact on beneficiaries
Uike, who owns two acres of land, said the PM-Kisan money is crucial for her family. "We depend on this money to buy seeds and fertilizers. If there is any problem, it affects our farming. I hope the government fixes this issue soon," she said.
Local farmer leader Rajendra Bhoyar demanded a thorough investigation into the glitch. "Such errors shake the trust of farmers. The government must ensure that the digital infrastructure for direct benefit transfer is foolproof," he said.
