Under the recently launched 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi', Aadhaar compulsory from second installment

The Centre has made Aadhaar number of small and marginal farmers optional for availing the first installment of Rs. 2,000 under the recently launched Rs. 75,000 crore 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi', according to an official document.

However, to get the subsequent installments, it has been made compulsory for farmers to show Aadhaar number for verifying their identity.

In the interim budget, Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced direct income support of Rs.6,000 per year to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to 2 hectares.

Read: Days After Its Announcement In Budget 2019, PM-KISAN Income Support Scheme Operationalised

The central government's fully funded scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan), will be implemented from this year and the first installment will be transferred by March.

"For transfer of the first installment of benefit for the period December 2018-March 2019, Aadhaar number shall be collected wherever available..," the Union Agriculture Ministry said in a letter to the state governments.

If Aadhaar number is not there, then other alternate documents namely driving licence, voters' ID card, NREGA job card, or any other identification issued by central/state governments or their authorities will have to provide for availing the first installment, it said.

"However for transfer of subsequent installments, Aadhaar number shall have to be compulsorily captured," the Ministry said directing the state governments to ensure that there is no duplication of the eligible farmers.

Read: PM Modi Shares His Mother Heeraben Modi's Inspiring Advice When He Became Gujarat CM, Says Those Words 'really Impacted' Him

The state governments have been asked to prepare a database of the beneficiary of small and marginal landholder farmer families in the villages capturing details such as name, gender, whether belonging to SC/ST, Aadhaar, bank account number and mobile number of beneficiaries.

For the purpose of the calculation of the benefit, the Centre has defined a small and marginal landholder family as the one comprising of husband, wife and minor children up to 18 years of age, who collectively own cultivable land up to two hectares as per the land records of the concerned states.

To identify the land ownership, the Centre said it will use the existing land-ownership system prevailing in the states and union territories.

The cut-off date for the determination of ownership of land as per the land records under the scheme will be February 1, 2019, and changes thereafter in land records will not be considered for eligibility of the benefit to the new landholder for next five years. The scheme benefit will be allowed on the transfer of ownership of cultivable land on account of succession, the letter added.

The state governments have been asked to notify district level grievances redressal committees for redressing all grievances related to the implementation of the scheme.