Krishak Bandhu Scheme is a flagship scheme of the State Government for the welfare of West Bengal farmers i.e. an important and large-scale scheme, which was launched by the Department of Agriculture in 2019.
On June 17, 2021, the benefits to farmers under the scheme were enhanced and renamed as “Krishak Bandhu (New)”. Under this new scheme, the financial grant to farmers has been increased from ₹5,000/- to a maximum of ₹10,000/-.
Through the Krishak Bandhu scheme, the government provides social security to farmers through financial assistance for purchase of various agricultural inputs such as crop seeds, fertilizers and other inputs and financial assistance to their families in case of untimely death of farmers. Besides, insurance coverage is also provided for crops and livestock.
The scheme provides financial assistance to farmers in two equal installments of maximum ₹10,000/- in two periods of the year, first during Kharif and second during Rabi season. Apart from this, a one-time financial assistance of ₹2 lakh is provided to the family in case of death of the farmer.
According to the government budget report under “Krishakbandhu (New)” scheme total assistance of ₹2477.51/- crore has been disbursed to 88.79 lakh farmers during Kharif season 2022-23 and a total of ₹2554.90/- to 91.57 lakh farmers in case of Rabi season. – Crores have been distributed.
Objectives Of Krishak Bandhu Project
West Bengal is primarily an agricultural state. Farming, from seeds to high-quality fertilizers and other inputs, is costly and farmers do not always see a profit. So we all know more or less about their plight.
The State Government has therefore launched this Krishak Bandhu Scheme to encourage farming and provide assured income and social security to the farming families, where financial assistance is provided to the farmers based on the amount of land they have. Also in case of death of the farmer, financial benefits are given to his family. About 90 lakh farmers of the state have benefited through this scheme.
The state agriculture department has earmarked Rs 80 crore to provide one-time financial assistance in the form of Krishakbandhu scheme death benefit which will provide assistance to the families of around 4,000 deceased farmers. Officials said that nearly 34,000 farm families have already received financial assistance of a total of Rs 680 crore during the last financial year.
Krishak Bandhu Project Details
A brief description of the West Bengal Farmers Bandhu Scheme is given below:
| Scheme Name | Krishak Bandhu Project |
| Entrepreneur | West Bengal Govt |
| Project budget | ₹5,000 crore (approx.) |
| Start time | Year 2019 |
| Responsible Department | Department of Agriculture |
| The beneficiary | Farmers of West Bengal |
| Purpose | Providing income and social security to the farmers of the state |
| Age limit | 18 to 60 years for death benefit |
| Grant amount | Minimum ₹4000/- to maximum ₹10,000/- per annum |
| Application Procedure | Govt camp or BDO office in Duar offline |
| Official website | https://krishakbandhu.net/ |
Krishak Bandhu Project Components
There are two main components under this scheme, which are mentioned below:
- “Farmer Friend” (Assured Income) Scheme
- “Krishakbandhu” (death benefit) scheme
Benefits and Features of Krishak Bandhu Scheme
Listed below are the benefits and features of this project:
- The benefits of Krishak Bandhu Scheme are only for West Bengal farmers and their families.
- Farmers will get a total of ₹10,000/- per annum in respect of 1 acre or more of cultivable land.
- Farmers will get grant of ₹4,000/- per annum in case of cultivable land less than 1 acre.
- This grant is paid in two equal installments first during Kharif and second during Rabi season.
- In case of death of a farmer aged between 18 and 60, his legal heirs will get a grant of ₹2 lakh.
Eligibility criteria for Krishak Bandhu Scheme
The following qualifications are required for this project:
- Applicant must be a farmer.
- Applicant must be resident of West Bengal.
- Farmers who have cultivable land or Record of Rights (RoR), patta or forest patta and registered sharecroppers are eligible for this scheme.
- On the death of a farmer or registered share cropper between 18 and 60 years of age, the legal heirs of the deceased will be eligible for one-time grant.
Necessary documents of Krishak Bandhu Scheme
Following documents are required for Farmer Friend (Assured Income) scheme:
- Latest RoR/ RoR barga/ patta record/ forest patta record of cultivated land
- Aadhaar Card
- Voter ID Card (Mandatory)
- Page 1 of Bank Pass Book / Canceled Cheque
- Mobile number
- New colored passport size photograph
- Self-declaration and deed of cultivable land if not owner of land
- WARISAN CERTIFICATE
Documents Required for Farmers Friend (Death Benefit) Scheme:
- Photocopy of Identity of Deceased Farmer/ Registered Shareholder (Voter ID/ Aadhaar Card/ PAN Card/ Passport)
- Photocopy of death certificate of deceased farmer/registered sharecropper
- Eligible applicant certificate from BDO
- ROR of deceased farmer/ registered sharecropper
- Applicant’s own application form and self-declaration form in case of minor applicants will also require the application of his legal guardian.
Has the farmer friend received the money? Farmer friend list check
Payments for Kharif crops under Krishak Bandhu scheme are generally made between April and September and for Rabi crops between October and March.
In 2021 and 2022, Kharif crop was paid in June and Rabi crop was paid in December, but in 2023, Kharif crop was paid in April and Rabi crop was paid in December.
In the current year 2024, the first installment of Kharif crop money was released on 12th June. Already 85 percent of the farmers have received the installment money, while the remaining sources have informed that they will get the money by June 25.
You can check whether you have received the Krishak Bandhu scheme money by checking your bank account balance.
Apart from this, you can also check whether the money has entered from the official portal in the following ways:
- You need to visit the official website of Krishak Bandhu.
- From the home page of the portal you need to click on ‘Registered Farmer Information‘.
- Here you can check your status below by entering your Voter Card, Aadhaar Card, Bank Account Number, Farmer Friend ID or Mobile Number and filling captcha.
Farmer Friend ID
A unique ID is generated for each Farmer Friend applicant. Below are the steps to view Farmer Friend ID:
- You need to visit the official portal krishakbandhu.net and click on ‘Registered Farmer Information’.
- Here you have to enter your Voter or Aadhaar card, bank account number or mobile number and fill captcha and click on ‘Search’.
- Then below you will see complete status with your ‘Assured Income and Death Benefit ID’ or AKD ID and ‘Krishak Bandhu ID’.
Farmer Friend Status Check
While checking the status on Krishak Bandhu portal, many people see many types of ‘transaction status’. So now let’s see what these various status updates mean!
| Transaction status | What is money and what to do? |
|---|---|
| Status Will Show Blank | The transaction status will show blank until no documents are submitted. |
| ADA Uploaded | The ‘Assistant Director of Agriculture’ i.e. ‘Block Agriculture Officer’ completed the registration of the application form. |
| DDA Approved | The ‘Deputy Director of Agriculture’ i.e. ‘District Agriculture Officer’ verified and approved the application form. |
| DDA Revert | If the District Agriculture Officer finds any error in the application form, he will send it back to the Block Agriculture Officer, in which case you have to contact the office of the Block Agriculture Officer to correct the error. |
| SNO Download | The State Nodal Officer has downloaded the applicant’s documents for verification. |
| SNO Sent to bank | The State Nodal Officer has sent your documents to the bank for verification. |
| SNO Reject | In case the application has been rejected by the State Nodal Officer, you have to go to the Block Agriculture Officer’s office with all the documents. |
| Account Valid | Account is verified and everything is fine. |
| Account Invalid | If any error is detected by verifying the account, you should also contact the office of the Block Agriculture Officer. |
| Transaction Success | You will see this success message after depositing money in the account. |
| Transaction Failed | If Aadhaar, mobile number or other KYC is not done properly with the bank account, there is a possibility of transaction failure, in which case contact the Block Agriculture Officer’s office with KYC document and bank paper. |
How to Apply for Krishak Bandhu Scheme
Application for this scheme is currently only possible offline. The application procedure is discussed below:
- In order to apply for Krishak Bandhu Scheme, currently you need to fill two more essential forms apart from the Krishak Bandhu Application Form, which you can download from the official site or collect from Duare Sarkar Camp or BDO Office.
- To download the forms online you need to visit the official website krishakbandhu.net and go to “Order Memorandum and Notification” or you can directly click on ‘Revised Bangla KB(N) Annexure and Form 16_12_2021‘ or ‘Revised English KB(N) Annexure’ & Form16_12_2021‘.
- These forms should be duly filled and submitted to Duar Sarkar Camp or BDO office along with the necessary documents mentioned above. Once the form is submitted, the ‘Acknowledgment of Receipt’ portion of the form will be returned to you.
Krishak Bandhu Project Helpline
Direct Helpline Number: 8336957370/ 6291720406 (10 am to 6 pm) Email: krishak.bandhu@ingreens.inKrishak Bandhu Scheme Related Queries (FAQs):
How much money is available in the Farmer Friend project?
Every farmer enrolled under the new scheme of Krishak Bandhu, will get a government grant of ₹10,000/- per annum in case of one acre or more of cultivable land and farmers will get a minimum of ₹4,000/- per annum in case of less than one acre of cultivable land. This grant will be disbursed in two equal installments for Kharif and Rabi seasons.
How is the money given to the Krishak Bandhu project?
In this scheme, payments are made through ‘Direct Benefit Transfer’ or DBT to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
Who is eligible for Farmer Friend Scheme?
Any farmer in the state of West Bengal, who owns agricultural land or is a registered sharecropper, besides having a record of rights, patta or forest patta, is eligible for this scheme.
Besides, in case of death of a farmer friend beneficiary aged 18 to 60 years, his family is also eligible for financial assistance.
How to check farmer friend status?
Status of Farmer Friend Scheme can be easily checked online. You need to open the official portal krishakbandhu.net and click on ‘Registered Farmer Information’. Then you can check the status by searching with your aadhaar, voter or mobile number.
How many times a year is the money given to the Farmer Friend Project?
Krishak Bandhu Scheme is disbursed twice a year. Financial assistance of maximum ₹10,000/- is provided in two equal installments, first during Kharif season and second during Rabi season.
How much money is available for death benefit in the Krishak Bandhu scheme?
Under the Krishak Bandhu scheme, in case of death of a farmer or sharecropper between 18 and 60 years of age, a one-time grant of ₹2 lakh is given to the heirs of the deceased.
