New Delhi: In a significant step to strengthen the country’s agricultural sector, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the “Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana” on Wednesday. This initiative will last for six years, starting from 2025-26. The program aims to speed up development in agriculture and related sectors in 100 selected districts, focusing on improving productivity and promoting sustainable farming.
Inspired by NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme, the Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana is the first program solely aimed at the agricultural sector. It was announced in the Union Budget for 2025-26 and seeks to bring about transformational changes by combining 36 existing schemes from 11 departments, as well as state programs and private sector partnerships.
After the Cabinet meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed reporters that the Centre has merged 36 schemes from 11 ministries into the PMDDKY. This initiative will have a budget of ₹24,000 crore annually over six years, starting in 2025-26.
“States will be partners. We will monitor the scheme constantly at the block, district, and state levels. Technology partners will be appointed. All agriculture stakeholders will be consulted,” said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, while discussing the cabinet decisions.
“About 17 million farmers will benefit from the scheme in the next six years,” the minister added, noting that the implementation will start in August. Under the PMDDKY scheme, 100 districts will be chosen based on three main indicators: low agricultural productivity, low cropping intensity, and limited credit disbursement.
Key goals of the scheme include promoting crop diversification, improving irrigation facilities, strengthening post-harvest storage at panchayat and block levels, and facilitating access to both short-term and long-term agricultural credit.
District-level plans for agriculture and related activities will be created by the “District Dhan Dhaanya Samiti,” which will also include progressive farmers as members. These plans will support national objectives such as improving soil and water conservation, increasing self-sufficiency in farming, and expanding natural and organic agriculture.
Monitoring will be strict, with 117 key performance indicators tracked monthly through a dedicated dashboard. Central Nodal Officers will manage the implementation in each district, while NITI Aayog will provide advisory and review support.
The government expects the scheme to enhance agricultural productivity, increase value addition, create local job opportunities, and contribute to the broader vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). As the targeted indicators improve in these districts, a positive shift in agricultural outcomes nationwide is anticipated.
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