Special Correspondent
Ukhrul, August 6:
While the Prime Minister of India proudly announced the release of the 20th installment of the flagship Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme across the country, a grim reality haunts the hill district of Ukhrul—over 70 percent of registered farmers are yet to receive a single rupee from the scheme in the last two to three years.
“On August 2, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 20th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme from Varanasi, transferring the financial benefit directly into the bank accounts of crores of eligible farmers across India.”
A recent ground investigation by this journalist has revealed a disturbing picture of administrative negligence, systemic failure, and possible corruption. Out of over 46,000 verified and documented farmers who submitted their applications last year, only around 30–33 percent have received the last two installments. The vast majority remain in the dark—deprived, ignored, and unheard.
When approached, officials from the Ukhrul Agriculture Department admitted that they have submitted all required documents and forms to the Imphal Head Office, but claim their hands are tied beyond that. Shockingly, they disclosed that they were not given user credentials or passwords to the central PM-KISAN portal—effectively barring them from monitoring application status or resolving pending issues.
“We do not have access to the system. Everything is forwarded to Imphal. We don’t know what happens after that,” said one frustrated staffer under condition of anonymity.
Despite repeated complaints from local farmers over the years, there appears to be little or no intervention from the concerned department or higher authorities. Farmers, most of whom depend solely on seasonal cultivation for their livelihoods, say they feel betrayed and abandoned.
Adding to the confusion, the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Ukhrul had recently directed fresh collection of PM-KISAN forms, leading to the submission of another 650 new forms in July 2025. The process has now shifted entirely to the Agriculture Department, though earlier it was handled by the SDO and Common Service Centres (CSC).
This raises serious questions: Who is accountable? Are the culprits sitting in Ukhrul, or are the files deliberately stalled in Imphal? Why is there no transparency or accountability? Who benefits from this administrative paralysis?
It is imperative that the Central Government, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, and State Agriculture Department immediately launch a thorough probe. The plight of Ukhrul’s farmers cannot be ignored any longer.
Justice delayed is justice denied—and in this case, it is the farmers who are paying the price for someone else’s inefficiency or corruption.