When was the “PM Kisan Maandhan Yojana” launched for the purpose of pension to small and marginal farmers?

Correct — option (2), 12 September, 2019.

PIB's release from the Prime Minister's Office, posted on 12 September 2019, is headed “Prime Minister Launches Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana”.

It says Prime Minister Narendra Modi “today launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana at Ranchi, the Capital of Jharkhand.” The same event launched the National Pension Scheme for the Traders and the Self-Employed.

The scheme's purpose matches the stem: a minimum pension of ₹3,000 a month to small and marginal farmers who reach 60 years of age. The launch date is 12 September, 2019.

The idea to remember: PM Kisan Maandhan Yojana, a pension scheme for small and marginal farmers, was launched at Ranchi on 12 September 2019.

Why the others are wrong

• (1)
  15 August, 2020 — This date is almost a year after the launch. PIB's release of 12 September 2019 already reports the scheme as launched at Ranchi, so it cannot have begun in August 2020.
• (3)
  26 January, 2020 — This date also falls after the launch. PIB dates the launch at Ranchi to 12 September 2019, more than four months before 26 January 2020.
• (4)
  25 August, 2019 — This date is in the right year but before the launch day. PIB's release, posted on 12 September 2019, says the Prime Minister launched the scheme “today”.

  The launch date is 12 September 2019, not late August.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana is a voluntary and contributory old age pension scheme for small and marginal farmers, run under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

The Maandhan portal's FAQ gives the terms. Farmers aged 18 to 40 with cultivable land up to 2 hectares can join and pay regular contributions, monthly or, by option, quarterly, 4-monthly or half-yearly. The Central Government contributes an equal amount to the pension fund.

After 60, the farmer gets a minimum assured pension of ₹3,000 a month. If the farmer dies while receiving it, the spouse is entitled to 50 per cent of it as family pension.

Key facts

• 12 September 2019: PM Narendra Modi launched PM Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana at Ranchi, Jharkhand (PIB).
• Entry age 18 to 40 years; cultivable land up to 2 hectares as per State/UT land records (Maandhan portal).
• The subscriber contributes monthly (or quarterly, 4-monthly or half-yearly), and the Central Government contributes an equal amount to the pension fund.
• Minimum assured pension ₹3,000 a month after 60; spouse gets 50% as family pension.
• The same Ranchi event launched the National Pension Scheme for Traders and the Self-Employed (PIB).

Common traps

• Mixing PM-KMY with PM-KISAN: PM-KMY is a contributory pension at 60, not an income transfer.
• Mixing the three Maandhan schemes: farmers (PM-KMY), unorganised workers and small traders each have their own scheme.
• Getting the entry age wrong: farmers join between 18 and 40, and the pension starts at 60.

UnlockIAS will link similar questions from RAS Pre 2016 here once that paper is published on this site.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana, a small or marginal farmer can join the scheme at an entry age of

  • (a)18 to 40 years
  • (b)18 to 50 years
  • (c)21 to 60 years
  • (d)40 to 60 years
  Answer(1) — The Maandhan portal's FAQ gives an entry age between 18 and 40 years. Options (2), (3) and (4) do not match; option (4) runs into 60, the age at which the pension begins.
• practice — not a real PYQ

  Under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana, if the pensioner farmer dies, the spouse is entitled to what share of the pension as family pension?

  • (a)25 per cent
  • (b)50 per cent
  • (c)75 per cent
  • (d)100 per cent
  Answer(2) — The Maandhan portal's FAQ says the spouse shall be entitled to receive 50% of the pension. Options (1), (3) and (4) are not the share it gives.