Uttar Pradesh has emerged the major beneficiary of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN), the minimum income guarantee scheme for small and marginal farmers. The most populous state of the country has cornered the lion’s share of the total disbursals under the scheme, which was formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Gorakhpur on Sunday.

Out of the one crore beneficiaries across the country who received their first instalment of Rs 2,000 under the scheme, more than 40 lakh or 40 per cent belong to UP. The money was transferred directly to the bank accounts of the eligible farmers with the click of the button by Modi.

The PM KISAN is targeted to benefit over 12 crore small and marginal farmers across India, of which UP accounts for the maximum number of 2.14 crore farmers, or nearly 18 per cent of the targeted beneficiaries. UP, which elects the maximum number Lok Sabha members (80), led with more than 40 per cent of its farmers figuring in the first batch of beneficiaries and collectively receiving over Rs 800 crore of the total Rs 2,021 crore disbursed so far under the scheme.

“We have provided the details of about 1.5 crore beneficiaries to the Centre under PM KISAN, of which more than 40 lakh received their first instalment of payment last Sunday. The process for the remaining farmers is already on,” UP Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said. He said the state had also speeded up the preparation and validation of the details of the remaining over one crore farmers before forwarding them to the Centre for processing and disbursal of their first instalment.

The PM KISAN is estimated to cost the exchequer Rs 75,000 crore annually. It guarantees an income of Rs 6,000 per annum to small and marginal farmers, payable in equal instalment of Rs 2,000 every four months.

Addressing the Bharatiya Janata Party Kisan Morcha national convention while launching the flagship scheme, Modi had advised the state governments to expedite the process of enlisting farmers under the scheme and sending details to the Centre for processing disbursals.

Besides, the Prime Minister had assured that the remaining beneficiaries would receive their first instalments directly in bank accounts in the coming weeks even as he warned farmers to remain vigilant vis-à-vis the rumour mills of the opposition parties.