Women & Marginalized Farmers

“I am a woman farmer, or from an SC/ST or small-holding household.”

Schemes and components reserved for women farmers, and for SC, ST and small/marginal landholders.

Central government MKSP

Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP)

MKSP recognises a fact that most farm records do not: a large share of field work is done by women who are not registered as farmers and therefore reach no scheme. It works through Self Help Groups under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission to give women farmers training, access to inputs and credit, and a route into collective enterprises. Because the delivery channel is the SHG, the practical first step for a woman farmer is joining or forming a group affiliated to the state rural livelihoods mission rather than applying to the scheme directly.

What you get

Training, improved access to inputs and credit, and support for collective enterprise, delivered through women's Self Help Groups.

Who can apply

Women engaged in agriculture and allied activities
Participation is through Self Help Groups and their federations under DAY-NRLM
Priority to women from small, marginal and landless farming households

How to apply

Join or form an SHG affiliated to the Chhattisgarh State Rural Livelihoods Mission. Your gram panchayat or block livelihoods office can direct you to the nearest group.

Documents usually asked for

Aadhaar
SHG membership record
Bank account details

Central + state

SC/ST components within agricultural schemes

Most central agricultural schemes do not exist in a separate SC/ST version — instead they reserve a share of their budget and offer a higher rate of assistance to SC and ST farmers within the main scheme. This matters a great deal in Chhattisgarh, where a large proportion of farming households are from Scheduled Tribes. The practical consequence is that when you apply for machinery, micro-irrigation or horticulture support, submitting a valid caste certificate can move you into a higher subsidy bracket for the same application — so the certificate is worth obtaining before you apply, not after.

What you get

A higher rate of assistance and a reserved share of funds within mainstream agricultural schemes.

Who can apply

Farmers belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, with a valid caste certificate
Applies as an enhanced rate within schemes such as SMAM, PMKSY micro-irrigation and MIDH
Specific rates and reserved shares are set scheme by scheme

How to apply

Apply to the individual scheme as normal, attaching a valid caste certificate so the enhanced rate is applied to your case.

Documents usually asked for

Caste certificate issued by the competent authority
Aadhaar
Land records
Bank account details

"We'll help you apply"

Planned — not available

A guided application-help service is something we want to build. It does not exist yet, and nothing here is active. We are showing this so you know what is planned — not to suggest it is available.

Covering Chhattisgarh state schemes and central government schemes. We are expanding to other states over time.