Uttarakhand Farmer Pension Scheme (Kisan Pension Yojana)

What is the Uttarakhand Farmer Pension Scheme?

The Uttarakhand Farmer Pension Scheme, also called the Kisan Pension Yojana or the Farmer Old Age Pension, is a state social-security scheme run by the Department of Social Welfare, Government of Uttarakhand. The scheme gives a regular monthly pension to elderly small and marginal farmers so that they have a dependable income once they are too old to work their fields.

The Uttarakhand Farmer Pension Scheme sits within the state's broader Samajik Suraksha (social security) pension framework, the same system that pays old-age, widow and disability pensions. Because farming households in the hill districts often have no formal retirement income, the state created a dedicated farmer pension for cultivators who own only a small plot of land and depend on it for their livelihood.

According to the Department of Social Welfare, the pension is credited directly to the beneficiary's bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer, so there is no middleman and no need to collect cash in person. The benefit is paid per eligible farmer.

Who is eligible for the Uttarakhand Farmer Pension Scheme?

You can apply if you meet all of these conditions:

• You are a permanent resident of Uttarakhand.
• You are 60 years of age or older on the date of application.
• You are a farmer by occupation and cultivate your own land.
• Your family owns up to 2 hectares of cultivable land recorded in your name.
• Your family income is within the notified ceiling, or your household holds a Below Poverty Line (BPL) card.

You cannot apply / are not eligible if:

• You own more than 2 hectares of land. The scheme is only for small and marginal farmers.
• You are below 60 years of age.
• Your family income exceeds the ceiling notified by the Department of Social Welfare and you do not hold a BPL card.
• You are not a permanent resident of Uttarakhand.
• You already draw another state social-security pension for the same person, since a beneficiary is not paid two overlapping pensions.

The land ceiling of 2 hectares and the age bar of 60 years are the two conditions most applications are checked against first, so keep your Khatauni and an age proof ready.

How much pension does the scheme pay and when?

The Uttarakhand Farmer Pension Scheme pays a monthly old-age pension to each eligible farmer, credited to an Aadhaar-seeded bank account. Uttarakhand's social-security pensions have been revised upward over successive years, and the farmer pension is aligned with the state old-age pension rate. Because the figure changes when the state revises pensions, confirm the current monthly amount on ssp.uk.gov.in before applying rather than relying on an old number.

The pension is generally released in quarterly instalments. A lump sum covering the preceding few months: directly into the bank account. Payment through DBT means the money reaches the beneficiary without any deduction, and there is no annual re-application: once sanctioned, the pension continues as long as the beneficiary remains eligible and completes any periodic verification the department requires.

What documents are required?

Keep both originals and self-attested photocopies. If any document carries a name or spelling different from your Aadhaar, get it corrected first, because a name mismatch is a common reason payments stall.

How to apply for the Uttarakhand Farmer Pension Scheme

You can apply online through the state's Samajik Suraksha Pension portal or offline at the district social welfare office. Follow these steps for the online route:

1. Open the official portal at ssp.uk.gov.in and register or log in as an applicant.
2. Select the new online application option and choose the farmer pension (Kisan pension) scheme from the list.
3. Fill in your personal, residence, land and bank details exactly as they appear on your documents.
4. Upload the scanned documents: domicile certificate, age proof, Khatauni, income or BPL proof, Aadhaar, bank passbook and photograph.
5. Enter the captcha and submit the application, then note down the acknowledgement or application number.
6. Track the status of your application later on the same portal using that number.

The application can also be filed through an Apuni Sarkar / CSC facilitation point if you are not comfortable filling the form yourself.

How to apply offline

1. Visit your district social welfare office (or the block office / Gram Panchayat development officer in rural areas) and ask for the farmer pension application form.
2. Fill the form and attach self-attested photocopies of all the required documents.
3. Submit the form and collect a receipt or acknowledgement.
4. The office verifies your age, residence, land and income before the pension is sanctioned.

How do I check my application or pension status?

Use the application-status or pension-detail option on ssp.uk.gov.in and enter your application or registration number to see whether your case is pending, verified, sanctioned or rejected. Once sanctioned, the portal also shows the payment history so you can confirm each quarterly credit reached your bank account.

Why applications get rejected, and how to fix them

• Landholding above 2 hectares or land not recorded in the applicant's name: get the Khatauni corrected through the revenue office.
• Income above the ceiling without a BPL card — attach a fresh income certificate.
• Age proof missing or inconsistent; provide a document that clearly shows you are 60 or above.
• Bank account not Aadhaar-seeded, so DBT fails; seed the account at your bank branch.
• Name mismatch between Aadhaar, bank and land records; reconcile the spellings before re-submitting.

How the farmer pension differs from a central pension

The Uttarakhand Farmer Pension Scheme is a state old-age pension for small and marginal cultivators, sanctioned and paid by the state Department of Social Welfare. It is separate from the central Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana (PM-KMY), which is a contributory scheme where a farmer pays a monthly premium between the ages of 18 and 40 and draws a pension only after turning 60. The Uttarakhand scheme, by contrast, is non-contributory, the beneficiary does not pay any premium; eligibility rests on age, residence, the 2-hectare land ceiling and the income condition. A farmer who is already 60 and never contributed to PM-KMY can therefore still receive support through the state farmer pension, provided the eligibility conditions are met and the person is not drawing another overlapping state pension for the same individual.

Periodic verification and keeping the pension running

Once sanctioned, the pension continues without a fresh application each year, but the Department of Social Welfare carries out periodic verification to confirm that the beneficiary is alive, still resident in Uttarakhand and still within the eligibility conditions. Keep your bank account active and Aadhaar-seeded, respond to any verification notice from the district social welfare office, and update the office if you change your bank account or address. If a pension credit stops, the first step is to open the pension-detail page on ssp.uk.gov.in to see whether the case is flagged for verification, and then follow up with the district office rather than filing a fresh application.

Grievance and helpline

For complaints about a delayed or rejected pension, contact your district social welfare office first, as it holds the verification file. The Department of Social Welfare also runs toll-free helplines, including 18001804236, for pension queries. Always keep your application number handy so the office can trace your case quickly. Registration and the pension itself are free: no agent can charge a fee to add your name to the beneficiary list.