Agra: Even though the agriculture department has no direct responsibility in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, but officials are making sure the farmers get first installment of Rs 2,000 under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme.So far, data of 2.28 lakh farmers of Agra district has been uploaded on the online portal of the scheme. Around 43,000 farmers received the first installment earlier this month. 1.85 lakh farmers are yet to get the amount credited to their bank accounts. According to the department officials, all the eligible farmers will get Rs 2,000 before the election on April 18.Under the scheme, financial benefits of Rs 6,000 per year will be provided to all small and marginal farmers having total cultivable holding of up to two hectares. The amount will be provide in three equal installments of Rs 2,000 each in a period of four months in the financial year. The benefit will be admissible for transfer with effect from December 1, 2018.In the first phase of the shortlisting process, total 2.47 lakh farmers were identified in Agra district to be benefitted under the scheme. Later 19,000 farmers were found ineligible. Data of the remaining 2.28 lakh farmers was verified by the state government. It was later uploaded and locked on the PM-Kisan portal.District agriculture officer, Rampravesh Verma said, “Under the PM-Kisan scheme, the benefits are admissible for transfer with effect from December 1, 2018. Around 43,000 small and marginal farmers have received the first installment of Rs 2,000. The remaining farmers found eligible under the scheme will be credited with the amount in their bank account in the next 2-3 weeks.”

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