Krishak Bandhu
Krishak Bandhu — West Bengal Farmer Support Scheme
Krishak Bandhu is West Bengal's flagship farmer income support scheme, launched in January 2019 under CM Mamata Banerjee. It provides ₹5,000 before Kharif and ₹5,000 before Rabi — ₹10,000/year per acre for farmers with 1 acre or more, capped at ₹10,000 regardless of land size (fair cap vs Rythu Bandhu's uncapped model). Farmers with less than 1 acre receive a minimum of ₹4,000/year. All registered Krishak Bandhu farmers receive a state-funded ₹2 lakh life insurance (Krishak Bandhu Bima) for death from any cause. West Bengal farmers now receive BOTH Krishak Bandhu (state) AND PM-KISAN (central) following the 2021 resolution of land record issues.
Key Objectives
- Provide assured income support to West Bengal farmers before crop seasons.
- Protect very small farmers (below 1 acre) with minimum ₹4,000 support.
- Provide death benefit insurance to all registered farmers.
Benefits
Eligibility
- All landholding farmers in West Bengal with minimum 1 kattha of agricultural land
- Land record (Record of Rights/RoR) must be in farmer's name
How to Apply
Check beneficiary status at krishakbandhu.net
New registration: visit Block Agriculture Office or nearest CSC
Submit RoR (Record of Rights/khatian), Aadhaar, bank account details
Block Agriculture Officer verifies land records
On approval, added to beneficiary list — annual instalments transferred to bank account
Required Documents
Frequently Asked Questions
Do West Bengal farmers get both PM-KISAN and Krishak Bandhu?
Yes. PM-KISAN is the Central scheme (₹6,000/family/year). Krishak Bandhu is WB's state scheme (₹4,000–₹10,000/year + ₹2 lakh insurance). WB farmers eligible for both receive combined income support of ₹10,000–₹16,000/year plus death insurance. Apply for PM-KISAN at pmkisan.gov.in; Krishak Bandhu at krishakbandhu.net.
What is Krishak Bandhu Bima (insurance) and how does my family claim it?
Krishak Bandhu Bima provides ₹2 lakh to the family of a registered farmer who dies from any cause (illness, accident, natural causes). Claim process: visit the nearest Block Agriculture Office with the farmer's death certificate, Krishak Bandhu card, and beneficiary's bank account details. Claim settled within 30 days.