Patna: The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government has unveiled a major relief measure for farmers in its 2026–27 state budget, announcing a substantial increase in direct income support under the Kisan Samman Nidhi framework.
Presenting the budget in the legislative assembly on Tuesday, finance minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said the state would introduce an additional annual payment of Rs 3,000 for farmers, raising the total benefit to Rs 9,000 a year when combined with the Centre’s PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.
Under the existing central programme, eligible farmers receive Rs 6,000 annually, paid in three instalments of Rs 2,000 each. Bihar’s new contribution, to be disbursed in three instalments alongside the central payments, will be implemented through a state-run scheme named after socialist leader and former chief minister Karpoori Thakur.
The new initiative, titled the Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Samman Nidhi Yojana, effectively increases the per-instalment support to Rs 3,000, offering farmers a combined payout of Rs 9,000 per year.
Government officials said the additional assistance was aimed at easing financial pressure on farmers amid rising input costs and strengthening rural incomes. The move signals a renewed focus on agriculture in the state’s development strategy, with the government positioning direct benefit transfers as a key instrument of welfare delivery.
The enhanced support is expected to benefit millions of farming households across Bihar, reinforcing the state’s alignment with central welfare schemes while expanding its own role in farm-sector support.
