Bhubaneswar, Sep 12: In a major boost to farmers excluded from the PM-KISAN scheme, the Odisha government has extended the e-KYC deadline by six months starting from September 8, allowing eligible beneficiaries under CM-KISAN to update their credentials and join the central scheme.

The move comes as part of a special drive to integrate more farmers into the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, which provides ₹6,000 annually to eligible farmer families through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The extension aims to bridge the gap between the state-run CM-KISAN and the central PM-KISAN schemes.

Currently, Odisha has over 51.54 lakh beneficiaries under CM-KISAN, while 34.85 lakh farmers are enrolled under PM-KISAN. The new government has already added 6 lakh more farmers to the PM-KISAN list compared to last year, and the extended e-KYC window is expected to bring in thousands more.

Farmers who have already received CM-KISAN benefits can now complete their e-KYC through Aadhaar authentication and update their details on the CM-KISAN portal. Once verified, their data will be shared with the PM-KISAN portal for central assistance.

The Agriculture Department has urged farmers to visit nearby Jana Seva Kendras to complete the process. Officials emphasized that Aadhaar-linked bank accounts are mandatory for receiving benefits, and applications will undergo a three-tier verification process at the panchayat, block, and district levels.

This initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to ensure no eligible farmer is left behind and to enhance transparency in welfare distribution.