BJP Considers Doubling PM-KISAN Scheme Amount, Cash Transfers To Poor Women In Upcoming Union Budget

After failing to secure a majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to be leaning towards offering cash transfers to please its voter base in the upcoming Union Budget.

Two individuals knowledgeable about the budget discussions informed MoneyControl that the annual payment to farmers under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (KISAN) might be raised to Rs 12,000.

Presently, farmers receive an income support of Rs 6,000 per year, disbursed in three equal installments. This amount may be increased to Rs 12,000 annually, with a potential shift from quarterly payments to monthly cash transfers of Rs 1,000.

Additionally, the budget might introduce a new scheme providing Rs 1 lakh to women below the poverty line. Notably, this was one of the promises in the Congress election manifesto to give Rs 1 lakh to poor women annually.

The budget can also witness an enhanced focus on PM Awas Yojana, a housing scheme that has already sanctioned 2.94 crore houses till 12 June 2024, of which 2.62 crore houses have been completed.

The budget decisions might aim to help the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. It has also got feedback from its cadres to focus on women, farmers and youth.

Women cash transfer schemes or promises have proven beneficial for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh earlier. A similar scheme has been announced in Maharashtra, where the BJP is part of the ruling coalition.