Kisan Diwas (23 December): History, Why It Is Celebrated and Farmer Schemes to Use This Year

Kisan Diwas, or National Farmers Day, is observed on 23 December every year. It marks the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, India's fifth Prime Minister and a leader of farmers. The day is used to honour farmers and spread knowledge of schemes. A good time to check your PM-Kisan e-KYC, Kisan Credit Card, crop insurance and soil health card.

23 December is the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh. He was a farmers' leader from Uttar Pradesh and became India's fifth Prime Minister, serving in 1979 and 1980. He pushed for land reform and fair treatment of small farmers. The government marks the day as National Farmers Day to honour his work and the role of farmers. For the background, see the Drishti IAS note ↗ on the day.

Reports say the day has been observed since 2001. I could not find the official order, so treat the year as reported, not confirmed. In 2024, Charan Singh was given the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.

What happens on Kisan Diwas?

The day is marked by farmer meetings, training camps, seminars and awards. In 2025, ICAR institutes across the country held events, with the agriculture minister's address webcast to centres, as the ICAR report ↗ and the ICAR-CRIDA page ↗ show. Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and universities often hold scientist-farmer interface meetings. Details change each year, so check your nearest KVK for local programmes.

Which farmer schemes should you check before 23 December?

Many farmers hear about schemes only on special days. Use Kisan Diwas as a reminder to check each one. The table gives the quick view. Follow the link in each row for the full guide.

Official portals give the final word: pmkisan.gov.in ↗ for PM-Kisan and pmfby.gov.in ↗ for crop insurance. The KCC limit change is covered by The Tribune ↗. The mission outlay for natural farming is described by the FAO database ↗.

PM-Kisan was launched on 24 February 2019. It pays Rs 6,000 a year to eligible farmer families in three instalments of Rs 2,000 by direct bank transfer. A PIB document on the 21st instalment says over Rs 3.70 lakh crore has gone to more than 11 crore families so far (PIB document, Nov 2025 ↗). The recent instalments are below.

No official date for the 24th instalment was available when this was written, so ignore any date shared on social media. Check the official portal for status.

A PIB document from March 2026 gives the current picture (PIB document, Mar 2026 ↗):

· The Modified Interest Subvention Scheme crop-loan limit was raised from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh in 2025-26.

· Collateral-free loans were raised from Rs 1.6 lakh to Rs 2 lakh per borrower from 1 January 2025.

· Short-term loans up to Rs 3 lakh carry 7% interest with an extra 3% subvention for timely repayment, which makes the effective rate 4%. The document states these terms for loans up to Rs 3 lakh. I could not confirm that they also apply up to Rs 5 lakh, so ask your bank.

· The limit for fisheries and allied activities rose from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

· There are about 7.72 crore active KCCs, with about Rs 10.2 lakh crore outstanding.

What other schemes help farmers beyond the big three?

· Machinery: our guides to the tractor subsidy yojana and the agri drone subsidy.

· Solar pumps: the PM-KUSUM solar pump subsidy page.

· Group strength: the FPO credit guarantee scheme.

· Year-round planning: the agriculture schemes calendar.

1. Open the PM-Kisan portal and check your status and e-KYC.

2. Check the KCC due date and repayment status with your bank.

3. Find your state's rabi crop insurance cut-off and enrol.

4. Book a soil test if you have no card from the last two years. (The two-year card cycle is standard; confirm on the Soil Health Card portal.)

5. Note the date of the nearest KVK Kisan Diwas event and attend.

Go to the event with a short list of questions: soil health, a new crop, pest problems, scheme forms. Take copies of your land record, Aadhaar and bank passbook so officials can help on the spot. If you are part of an FPO or self-help group, go together. A group gets better support.

Kisan Diwas honours Chaudhary Charan Singh and the work of India's farmers. The best way to mark it is to act: confirm PM-Kisan e-KYC, renew your Kisan Credit Card, enrol your rabi crop in PMFBY and test your soil. Use the guides linked above for each step and always confirm dates on the official portals.