PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana turns 1: 100 agri districts show 28-point score jump
Synopsis
One year in, PM Modi's flagship agricultural district scheme has logged a striking 28-point jump in average performance scores across 100 underserved districts — but the real test begins now, as CSR money enters the mix and the government pushes to convert dashboard numbers into farmer income gains.
Key Takeaways
The PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) completes its first year on 11 October 2026 , covering 100 Aspirational Agricultural Districts .
Average district scores across six objectives rose from 18.85 in April 2026 to 46.89 in August 2026 — a 28.04-point improvement.
The scheme converges 36 Central schemes across 11 Ministries , with State and private sector participation.
All 100 districts submitted output and outcome indicator data; District Action Plans are under active implementation.
The PM-DDKY FPO Sangam in December 2025 united over 72 FPOs from 15 States and 33 districts .
CPSEs will adopt PMDDKY districts for CSR activity in FY 2026-27 and FY 2027-28 .
The PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) completes its first year on 11 October 2026, with the government reporting measurable progress across 100 Aspirational Agricultural Districts targeted under the scheme. According to an official factsheet released on Saturday, 10 October 2026, the initiative aims to unlock gains in productivity, irrigation, credit access, and post-harvest infrastructure by addressing district-specific agricultural needs.
Scheme Background and Structure
The PMDDKY was approved by the Union Cabinet on 16 July 2025 for a period of six years and was formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 11 October 2025. The scheme operates through the convergence of 36 Central schemes spanning 11 Ministries and Departments, alongside State schemes and private sector participation, enabling locally tailored agricultural interventions across all 100 districts.
Monitoring Mechanisms and Progress Tracking
The PMDDKY dashboard became operational in the last week of October 2025, with monthly output-indicator rankings commencing from November 2025. According to the factsheet, all 100 districts have prepared District Action Plans (DAPs) and are in active implementation. Review committees have been constituted at the national, State, and district levels, and all 100 districts submitted output indicator data up to August 2026, as well as outcome indicator data for the financial year 2025-26.
Key Performance Gains in Year One
The average score of the 100 districts across the scheme's six objectives rose from 18.85 in April 2026 to 46.89 in August 2026 — an improvement of 28.04 points, according to the government factsheet. Central Nodal Officers are regularly reviewing progress and guiding district-level implementation. Notably, the Department of Public Enterprises has included adoption of PMDDKY districts for CSR activity by Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) for financial years 2026-27 and 2027-28, widening the funding base beyond government allocations.
FPO Engagement and Farmer Outreach
The first year also created structured platforms for farmer exchange. The PM-DDKY FPO Sangam, held in December 2025, brought together more than 72 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) from 15 States and 33 PM-DDKY districts. The event covered themes including natural farming, oilseeds, beekeeping, protected cultivation, micro irrigation, institutional finance, and digital agriculture, with a focus on productivity, market access, and income enhancement for smallholder farmers.
What Comes Next
With the scheme now entering its second year, the government's stated priority is sustaining the momentum reflected in the score improvements and deepening CSR-backed interventions. The convergence model — linking multiple Central and State schemes under a single district-level framework — will be tested on whether it can translate dashboard gains into verifiable on-ground income improvements for farmers in some of India's most agriculturally underserved regions.
Point of View
But dashboard metrics and ground-level income gains are not the same thing — and India's history of aspirational-district programmes is littered with strong monitoring numbers that did not translate into durable livelihood change. The convergence of 36 Central schemes sounds comprehensive, but multi-ministry coordination in rural India has historically been a coordination bottleneck, not a solution. Bringing CPSEs into the CSR fold is a creative funding move, yet CSR commitments in agriculture have a mixed record on sustained follow-through. The scheme's second year will be the real proof of concept: if farmer income data in the 100 districts shows measurable movement by 2027, PMDDKY will have earned its aspirational label.
NationPress
10 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY)?
The PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana is a six-year Central government scheme approved on 16 July 2025 and launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 11 October 2025. It targets 100 Aspirational Agricultural Districts with focused interventions in productivity, irrigation, credit access, and post-harvest infrastructure, implemented through 36 Central schemes across 11 Ministries.
How much have district scores improved under PMDDKY?
The average score of the 100 PMDDKY districts across six objectives rose from 18.85 in April 2026 to 46.89 in August 2026, an improvement of 28.04 points, according to the government factsheet released on 10 October 2026.
Which districts are covered under PMDDKY?
The scheme covers 100 Aspirational Agricultural Districts identified for their relatively lower agricultural development indicators. All 100 districts have prepared District Action Plans and submitted output and outcome indicator data as of August 2026.
What was the PM-DDKY FPO Sangam?
The PM-DDKY FPO Sangam was a national-level farmer exchange event held in December 2025, bringing together over 72 Farmer Producer Organisations from 15 States and 33 PMDDKY districts. It focused on productivity, market access, income enhancement, natural farming, and digital agriculture.
How are CSR funds being linked to PMDDKY?
The Department of Public Enterprises has directed Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) to adopt PMDDKY districts for their CSR activities in financial years 2026-27 and 2027-28, broadening the scheme's funding base beyond direct government allocations.
