Assam Just Started Paying Farmers Rs 5,000 Each For Farm Tools: Here’s Who Qualifies

Small and marginal farmers across Assam can now claim a one-time cash payment of Rs 5,000 to buy farm tools and equipment, under a state scheme called the Mukhya Mantri Krishi Sa Sajuli Yojana. Run by the Department of Agriculture, Government of Assam, the scheme was launched in the 2018-19 financial year to help farmers move away from manual labour toward scientific farming implements, and it is still accepting eligible applicants today.

To qualify, an applicant must be a resident farmer of Assam who is at least 21 years old and has been involved in cultivation for a minimum of three consecutive years. Only small and marginal farmers are covered, and just one farmer per family can receive the benefit. Tenant farmers and sharecroppers cultivating at least one acre, or three bighas, of land may also be considered. All Kisan Credit Card holders are eligible to apply, and applicants must hold a live bank account, since the money is paid out entirely through Direct Benefit Transfer rather than cash or vouchers.

The application process runs offline through the Agriculture Extension Assistant in each area, who collects applications along with the farmer’s bank details and mobile number. Beneficiaries are then shortlisted village by village, with Gaon Panchayats compiling the lists before they go to the Agriculture Development Officer for scrutiny and on to a District Level Committee, chaired by the Deputy Commissioner, for final approval. Reservations apply during selection, with 7% of slots for Scheduled Caste farmers, 10% for Scheduled Tribe (Plains) farmers, and 5% for Scheduled Tribe (Hills) farmers. Once a beneficiary list is approved, it is forwarded to the Director of Agriculture, who arranges for the Assam State Farmers’ Advisory Council to transfer the Rs 5,000 directly into each farmer’s account in a single installment.

Applicants need to keep a set of documents ready before applying: an Aadhaar card, residence certificate, caste certificate where applicable, age proof, proof of agricultural land, bank account details, ration card, a passport-size photograph, mobile number, and a signed undertaking. That undertaking matters because the scheme requires the money to be spent specifically on farm implements; a beneficiary who uses it for anything else can face legal action. Assam’s Agriculture Department periodically issues fresh calls for applications through print and electronic media, so interested farmers should watch for announcements on the department’s official website rather than assuming a single, one-time application window.

The scheme targets a total of 5 lakh beneficiaries statewide, part of a broader push by the Assam government to lift farm productivity in a state where, according to the department, more than 70% of the population depends on agriculture despite persistent problems with flooding, fragmented landholdings, and low mechanization. Once a beneficiary list is finalised, it is published on the relevant district website and posted on notice boards at the offices of the Deputy Commissioner and District Agriculture Officer, giving applicants a way to track whether they have been approved.

The Mukhya Mantri Krishi Sa Sajuli Yojana is administered by the Department of Agriculture, Government of Assam. Source: myscheme.gov.in

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