Transparency vs. Bureaucracy: Navigating the PM-Kisan Disbursement Deadlock in 2025
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme, a flagship Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) initiative, was designed to provide a seamless financial cushion to India’s landholding farmers. However, as the case of Keshav Pratap Singh (Registration No: DRAGR/A/2025/60170) demonstrates, even with robust digital infrastructure, local administrative hurdles can create a “deadlock” that leaves legitimate beneficiaries without support.
The Current Landscape: PM-Kisan in 2025
By late 2025, the PM-Kisan scheme has evolved into a highly integrated digital ecosystem. The 21st installment, released on November 19, 2025, underscored the government’s commitment to transparency, reaching approximately 9 crore farmers with ₹18,000 crore in direct assistance.
The primary pillars of the 2025 framework include:
- Aadhaar-Based Payment Ecosystem: Payments are routed exclusively via the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS), where the Aadhaar number serves as the financial address.
- Mandatory e-KYC: Farmers must complete e-KYC using OTP, biometrics, or face authentication to ensure data quality and weed out ineligible recipients.
- Automated Land Integration: Integration with state revenue portals, like Bhulekh UP, allows for real-time digital verification of land ownership.
The Core Conflict: A Case Study of Administrative Delay
The dispute in Mirzapur highlights a systemic gap: while central mandates push for automation, local offices often fall back on outdated administrative protocols.
The “Shortlisted” Paradox
Keshav Pratap Singh appeared at Serial No. 244 in the official beneficiary list for Village Nibi Gaharwar as of March 2025. Under current guidelines, being on this list signifies that the farmer has been identified as an eligible candidate for payment. Yet, despite this listing, his payments were stalled by the Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA).
Irrelevant Document Demands
The PIO (Public Information Officer) justified the withholding of funds by citing a 2022 Government Order that demands physical, “certified” copies of the Khatauni (land record). In the context of 2025 Agri Reforms, this demand is increasingly viewed as “irrelevant” for two reasons:
- Digital Verifiability: Since 100% of UP’s villages are digitized, the DDA has direct access to the Bhulekh portal, making a physical certified copy redundant.
- Aadhaar Dominance: Under the mandatory APBS, a bank passbook is no longer required for verification once an account (like an IPPB account) is Aadhaar-seeded.
Understanding “Cryptic Feedings” and System Errors
The applicant’s struggle reveals deeper issues within the data-feeding process at the state level.
- The “Record Not Found” Error: This often occurs when a beneficiary is shortlisted at the village level, but local staff fail to “push” the data to the central portal or enter “cryptic” remarks during verification.
- The Duplicate Entry Trap: Because the system locks a mobile number to a specific Aadhaar, any incorrect data entry by a local official can prevent a farmer from submitting a new, corrected application.
The Path to Accountability: The First Appeal
Filing a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act is the primary tool for farmers to challenge these “cryptic” administrative delays. The current appeal to the Joint Director of Agriculture (JDA), Vindhyachal Division, seeks to resolve the deadlock by:
- Demanding Adherence to 2025 Mandates: Forcing the department to recognize that digital records from Bhulekh are legally valid.
- Synchronizing Records: Ensuring the local office aligns its “pending” records with the central APBS payment system.
Conclusion: Restoring Trust in Digital Welfare
The case of Keshav Pratap Singh is a reminder that digital transformation is only as effective as the local officials who manage it. To restore trust, the Appellate Authority must ensure that 2025’s “trust-based” digital reforms are not undermined by the “harassment” of outdated manual requirements.
In the context of the PM-Kisan scheme in Mirzapur, cryptic denial refers to the use of vague, shifting, or legally invalid justifications by officials to block beneficiary data or information requests.
Sought Information vs. Cryptic Denial
The table below illustrates the “smokescreen” tactics used when legitimate information is sought:
| Information Sought | Typical “Cryptic” Denial/Response | The Administrative Reality |
| Reason for Non-Disbursement | “Missing Certified Copy” of land records. | Digital records are already available on Bhulekh UP and have legal status under the IT Act, 2000. |
| Exact Status of Application | “Land records not showing” on the portal. | This shifts blame to a “technical glitch” to hide local officials’ failure to verify existing data. |
| Official Decision Logs | Redirecting to irrelevant laws like “Land Inheritance”. | This is a “Red Herring” tactic used to deflect from specific corruption or negligence complaints. |
| Action Taken on Rejection | PIO claims information was provided, but sends identical, non-specific letters for all points. | This constitutes false compliance intended to avoid penalties during Commission hearings. |
Impact of Cryptic Denial on the Applicant
- Forced Bureaucratic Loops: Applicants are forced into repetitive physical visits and layers of bureaucracy, each potentially demanding further “facilitation”.
- Systemic Sabotage: By sending notices to unverified private email addresses (e.g., Gmail) instead of official NIC IDs, officials create technical loopholes to claim non-receipt of legal summons.
- Accountability Gap: These denials prevent the establishment of a clear paper trail, making it difficult to hold specific officers personally or financially liable under Section 20 of the RTI Act.
1. Essential Web Links for Status & Registration
Access these official links to bypass local office delays and verify your data directly.
| Service Requirement | Official Direct Web Link |
| Check Application Status | Know Your Status |
| Find Registration Number | Know Your Registration Number (Search via Aadhaar/Mobile) |
| New Farmer Registration | New Farmer Registration Form |
| Complete e-KYC | OTP-based e-KYC Link |
| Check Village List | Beneficiary List (Village-wise) |
Correct, your understanding of the PM-Kisan registration and verification process is accurate according to the latest 2025 guidelines. The journey of a farmer’s application involves a specific multi-level hierarchy to ensure transparency and eligibility.
The Multi-Level Verification Flow
The process moves from digital self-registration to local administrative scrutiny before reaching the state-level Department of Agriculture.
- Farmer Registration & Document Upload: * The farmer initiates the process through the PM-Kisan portal or mobile app.
- It is mandatory to upload land ownership proof (such as a Khasra/Khatauni or land passbook) along with Aadhaar and bank details.
- In 2025, a Farmer ID is also mandatory for new registrations in states like Uttar Pradesh.
- Tehsil/Sub-District Level Scrutiny:
- Once submitted, the application first reaches the local revenue officials (Lekhpal or Patwari) and the Tehsil/Sub-District office.
- Officials verify the uploaded revenue records against the existing state land database (like Bhulekh UP).
- If there is a mismatch (e.g., land ownership not found), the application is flagged at this level for correction or rejection.
- Department of Agriculture (State Level):
- After successful verification at the Tehsil level, the data is pushed to the State Department of Agriculture.
- The State Government creates a final comprehensive database of eligible beneficiaries and performs a final approval before sending the list to the PM-Kisan portal for fund disbursement.
Verification Summary Table
| Level | Action Taken | Mandatory Documents |
| Farmer (Initial) | Self-registration & data entry | Aadhaar, Mobile, Bank details |
| Tehsil (Local) | Physical & digital land record verification | Certified Khatauni/Revenue Record |
| Agriculture Dept (State) | Final eligibility approval & data upload | Verified beneficiary list |
Why Verification is Critical in 2025
The government has tightened these checks to ensure that only genuine landholders receive benefits. For instance, if a farmer’s data matches less than 80%, the form is automatically sent to the Tehsildar’s login for manual approval to resolve the “Land Record Not Found” error.
1. Key Application & Reference IDs
| Type of ID | Number / Reference |
| Aadhaar Number | 8224 3509 7042 (Primary Identifier) |
| RTI Registration No. | DRAGR/R/2025/60325 (Original Request) |
| First Appeal No. | DRAGR/A/2025/60170 (Filed 26-12-2025) |
| Grievance ID (State) | 60000240246059 and 60000240250862 |
| Application Date | 31-10-2024 |
2. Official Contact Mobile Numbers
| Authority / Person | Mobile Number | Role |
| DDA Mirzapur | 7839882478 | Public Information Officer (PIO) |
| JDA Vindhyachal | 7668571373 | First Appellate Authority (FAA) |
| Additional Director Agri | 8081560096 | Nodal Officer |
| Yogi M P Singh | 737910XXXX | RTI Applicant |
| Keshav Pratap Singh | 9794089100 | Beneficiary (Farmer) |
| District Manager (Mzp) | 7408080380 / 8707845460 | CSC / Jan Seva Kendra Support |
3. Official Email Addresses
| Office / Official | Email Address |
| DDA Mirzapur | ddamzp2012[at]gmail[dot]com |
| JDA Vindhyachal | jdavindhyachal[at]gmail[dot]com |
| Directorate of Agri | dirag[at]up[dot]nic[dot]in |
| Central PM-Kisan Help | pmkisan-ict[at]gov[dot]in |
| RTI Applicant | yogimpsingh[at]gmail[dot]com |
4. Mandatory Web Links for Status Verification
- Check Beneficiary Status: https://pmkisan.gov.in/BeneficiaryStatus_New.aspx
- Find Registration Number: https://pmkisan.gov.in/RegistrationNumber.aspx
- UP Bhulekh (Land Records): https://upbhulekh.gov.in/
- UP Online RTI Portal: https://rtionline.up.gov.in/
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