11 crore farmers get Farmer ID, target met 5 months ahead of deadline

What has happened

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare says the target of creating 11 crore Farmer IDs (a unique digital identity for farmers) in the country has been completed. According to the ministry, the work was finished by the night of 23 October.

Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had set a target of 31 March 2027 for this work. It was achieved five months earlier.

What is a Farmer ID

A Farmer ID is a digital identity for a farmer, being created under the Digital Agriculture Mission. The ministry said the mission was started after the Union Cabinet approved it on 2 September 2024. A Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is being built under it.

According to the minister, a Farmer ID is not just an identity card but a base for a transparent and accountable administrative system.

What it means for farmers

The notice says that with a Farmer ID, farmers will not have to run to government offices and banks again and again for every scheme. The minister said that earlier, documents had to be submitted for every small and big scheme, which cost farmers both time and money.

With a Farmer ID, the process for bank loans and Kisan Credit Card (KCC) will become easier and repeated documentary verification will not be needed. Under PM Fasal Bima Yojana, assessment and payment of compensation in case of natural disaster or loss will be done transparently and directly into the account. Disaster relief money will reach eligible farmers quickly at the time of crisis. In selling crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), the role of middlemen will end and the right farmer will get the full value of his produce.

How many farmers have benefited so far

According to the ministry, more than 6 crore farmers across the country have already received direct benefits under various schemes through the Farmer ID based service delivery system.

The notice says linking a verified farmer database to farm services is reducing fraud and duplicate verification. It says coordination between government departments has improved and monitoring of schemes has also got better.

What about sharecroppers

The minister credited the achievement to the joint efforts of the Centre and state governments and called it an example of cooperative federalism. According to the notice, states and Union Territories are taking special steps to link sharecroppers and actual cultivators to this digital platform as per rules, so that no eligible farmer is left out of government benefits.

What to do next

The notice does not give any date, application method or contact for getting or correcting a Farmer ID. Farmers can ask their district agriculture office about the status of their Farmer ID.