In a major development from Uttar Pradesh, more than five lakh beneficiaries under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana may lose access to future installments. A recent verification drive has uncovered large-scale irregularities, especially involving husband and wife both receiving the benefit, which is against the scheme’s rules.
Massive Fraud Detected in Shahjahanpur, Pratapgarh, and Bareilly
The case came to light in Shahjahanpur, where the Agriculture Department identified numerous cases of duplicate beneficiaries—where both spouses were receiving payments. According to official guidelines, only one member per family is eligible for the ₹6,000 annual benefit.
In the statewide analysis, Pratapgarh leads with the highest number of such ineligible cases, followed by Bareilly and Shahjahanpur. These discrepancies came to light after the linking of Aadhaar, ration cards, and bank accounts with beneficiary data.
State & District-Wise Breakdown of Ineligible Couples
According to the list shared with the Agriculture Department:
- Pratapgarh: 37,233 couples found receiving duplicate benefits
- Prayagraj: 29,358 couples
- Sitapur: 18,862 couples
- Sambhal: 18,413 couples
- Bareilly Division:
- Bareilly: 12,430
- Shahjahanpur: 10,900
- Badaun: 10,420
- Pilibhit: 6,947
From the next installment onwards, these names will be removed from the payment list, and recovery action will begin.
What Happens to the Money Already Received?
Since the launch of the scheme, 19 installments have been credited to eligible farmers—amounting to ₹38,000 per person. If both husband and wife received the payments, it means a family may have received ₹76,000 wrongly.
In such cases, the government plans to stop future installments until the extra amount is recovered. Once the recovery is complete, only one person per family will continue to receive the benefit.
Ghaziabad and Noida Have the Least Number of Duplicate Cases
Interestingly, Ghaziabad reported the lowest number of fraud cases, with just 449 couples flagged. Noida followed with 524 such cases—showing better compliance in urban areas compared to rural districts.
Over 3,500 Ineligible Ration Cards Also Cancelled
In a related drive using Aadhaar verification, around 3,500 ration cards have been cancelled in the last year. These cards were found linked to individuals with government jobs, business ownerships, or ineligible income levels—making them ineligible for subsidized ration support.
What Farmers Should Do Now
If you’re a PM Kisan beneficiary, make sure your documents are in order and only one family member is registered. The government is tightening rules to stop leakages and ensure that only genuine farmers get the support they deserve.
Stay updated through the official PM Kisan portal or your nearest Agriculture Department office.