80% farmers eligible for PM Kisan Samman scheme, says Maha Agriculture Minister

Eighty per cent farmers in Maharashtra are eligible for the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, a state minister said here on Thursday.

Maharashtra Revenue and Agriculture Minister Chandrakant Patil said the estimated number of beneficiaries in the state is around 1.20 crore.

"As per the Agriculture Census 2015-16, there are 1,52,85,439 farmers in Maharashtra, of whom 80 per cent would be eligible for the Centre's relief of Rs 6,000 per year," Patil told reporters after a meeting with agriculture and revenue officials on the scheme.

"A family holding up to two hectares of land and having children less than 18 years old will be eligible for this scheme. But an agricultural landholding person having a government or a semi-government job or any other profession for earning, then such families will be omitted from this scheme," he said.