India, June 21 -- The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme has emerged as one of the world's largest Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) initiatives, with more than Rs 4.46 lakh crore disbursed to eligible farmer families across India since its launch in February 2019.

The latest milestone came with the release of the 23rd instalment of PM-KISAN at Tarakeswar in Hooghly district of West Bengal, where nearly 9.44 crore eligible farmers, including more than 2.18 crore women beneficiaries, received direct financial assistance worth around Rs 18,880 crore.

PM-KISAN is a centrally sponsored scheme aimed at providing assured income support to landholding farmer families with cultivable land. Under the programme, eligible farmers rec...