The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced on Monday, June 8, 2026, that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami declared the state has secured the first position across India in increasing farmers' income, with the statement made at an event in Almora.

Speaking at the occasion, CM Dhami said, 'Aaj Uttarakhand ne kisanon ki aay mein vriddhi karne ke mamle mein poore desh mein pratham sthan prapt kiya hai' ('Today, Uttarakhand has achieved the first position in the entire country in the matter of increasing farmers' income').

Context

Almora, a district in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, is historically associated with fruit cultivation and hill agriculture. The Chief Minister's announcement was made publicly from this district, underscoring its agricultural significance to the state's rural economy.

The claim places Uttarakhand ahead of all other Indian states on a farmer-income metric, though the specific ranking framework or agency behind the assessment was not detailed in the post.

Policy Backdrop

The announcement connects directly to a national target set in 2016 by the Government of India to double farmers' income, built around a seven-point strategy covering irrigation, crop insurance, and market-linkage reforms. States have since pursued varied approaches to meet that benchmark.

Uttarakhand has leaned on high-value horticulture, organic certification, and the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants suited to its Himalayan agro-climatic zones. These niche, high-margin crops are central to the state's pitch for superior income growth compared to plains-based agriculture.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries cited are Uttarakhand's farming households, who operate largely on small and marginal landholdings across hilly terrain. A top national ranking in income growth, if borne out by official data, would represent a significant policy outcome for this demographic.

The state's emphasis on organic farming and value-chain development — from farm to market — has been a recurring theme under CM Dhami's administration since 2021. Broader crop diversification away from subsistence cereals toward exportable produce has also been part of this push.

What's Next

Verification of the first-rank claim will likely hinge on the next Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households or state-wise income data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. Independent corroboration of the ranking methodology will be key to assessing the full weight of the announcement.

Follow-up policy measures from the Uttarakhand government — including any new schemes or budgetary allocations tied to this achievement — are expected to be watched closely by farm-sector observers and opposition parties in the state.