Is the Cabinet's Approval of the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana a Game Changer for Agriculture?

New Delhi, July 16 (NationPress) The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has officially greenlit the 'Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana' for a six-year period starting in 2025-26, targeting 100 districts.

This initiative is inspired by NITI Aayog's Aspirational District Programme, marking a pioneering effort that concentrates solely on the agricultural sector and its allied fields.

The primary goals include boosting agricultural productivity, promoting crop diversification and sustainable farming practices, enhancing post-harvest storage facilities at the panchayat and block levels, improving irrigation systems, and ensuring better access to both long-term and short-term credit, as detailed in the official announcement.

This initiative was introduced in the Budget proposals for 2025-26 to uplift 100 districts under the 'Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana'. The execution will involve the integration of 36 existing schemes across 11 Departments, alongside state-level initiatives and partnerships with the private sector.

The selection of the 100 districts will hinge on three critical metrics: low productivity, low cropping intensity, and insufficient credit disbursement. Each state/UT will have at least one district selected based on the distribution of Net Cropped Area and operational holdings.

Committees will be established at the District, State, and National levels to ensure effective planning, execution, and monitoring of the scheme. A District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan will be developed by the District Dhan Dhaanya Samiti, which will include innovative farmers as members.

The plans will align with national objectives focused on crop diversification, water conservation, soil health, agricultural self-sufficiency, and the expansion of natural and organic farming.

Progress in each Dhan-Dhaanya district will be tracked through 117 key Performance Indicators monitored via a monthly dashboard.

NITI Aayog will periodically review and guide the district plans, and Central Nodal Officers designated for each district will also conduct regular evaluations, as per the statement.

As the indicators in these 100 districts improve, the overall national averages on key performance indicators are expected to rise.

The scheme is designed to enhance productivity, increase value addition in agriculture and related sectors, generate local employment opportunities, and ultimately boost domestic production towards achieving self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat). As the indicators in these districts improve, national indicators are anticipated to reflect similar upward trends, the statement concluded.