6 days ago
Boon For Farmers: PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana gets Cabinet nod
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met on Wednesday and approved the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana, as announced in the 2025-26 budget. The scheme primarily aims to enhance agricultural productivity, promote crop diversification, and encourage sustainable agricultural practices.
Further objectives include increasing post-harvest storage capacity, improving irrigation facilities, and facilitating better credit availability.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking after the weekly Cabinet meeting, stated that the programme will benefit 1.7 crore farmers. With a commencement date of 2025-26, an annual financial outlay of Rs 24,000 crore is earmarked for at least six years.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had proposed on February 1 that the government, in partnership with states, would launch the 'Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana'. This scheme will be implemented in collaboration with 36 existing schemes across 11 departments, other state schemes, and the private sector.
As many as 100 districts will be identified based on three key indicators: low productivity, low cropping intensity, and low credit disbursement. At least one district will be selected from each state.
District, state, and national-level committees will be formed to monitor the scheme. The District Dhan Dhanya Committee, which will include farmer members, will finalise the scheme at the district level.
In each Dhan Dhanya district, the scheme's progress will be monitored monthly via a dashboard tracking 177 key performance indicators (KPIs). NITI Aayog will also review and provide guidance on district plans. Furthermore, a designated central nodal officer for each district will regularly review the scheme's implementation.
The scheme is expected to boost crop production, add value to the agriculture and allied sectors, generate local livelihoods, and thus achieve self-reliance. As indicators improve in these 100 districts, national indicators are also projected to rise.
