According to estimates from the PRICE surveys, India’s estimated total population in 2024-25 is 1,494 million, with 330 million, or 22.10%, belonging to Annadata households. Of these, approximately 140 million households (42.4%) report agriculture and allied activities as a source of income. However, land ownership significantly narrows this pool: only 100 million households (30.3%) own cultivable agricultural land, which qualifies them for government schemes such as PM-Kisan, provided they meet additional criteria.

Yet, land ownership alone does not reflect actual dependence on agriculture. The income-based data from the survey reveals that only 68.4 million households truly qualify as “Agriculture Households” or “Annadata”—that is, households where agriculture is the only or primary source of livelihood. This data-driven classification provides a more accurate picture of who genuinely depends on farming for sustenance and economic security.

Among these 68.4 million Annadata households, around 18% (12.5 million) are tenant farmers who do not own the land they cultivate. As a result, they are often excluded from land ownership–based benefits like PM-Kisan, despite being entirely reliant on farming. This highlights a critical policy gap—the need to shift from land-centric to livelihood-based eligibility to ensure that agricultural support reaches those who need it most.