Cabinet Approves PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana to Boost Agriculture in 100 Districts

New Delhi – In a major push to the agriculture sector, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the launch of the 'Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana' for a period of six years starting from the financial year 2025-26. The scheme will focus on transforming 100 identified districts across the country.

Inspired by NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme, this new initiative marks the first time a scheme will focus exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors.

According to an official statement, the scheme is designed to:

• Enhance agricultural productivity

• Promote crop diversification and sustainable farming

• Expand irrigation infrastructure

• Strengthen post-harvest storage facilities at the panchayat and block levels

• Improve access to both long-term and short-term credit

The Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana was announced in the Union Budget 2025–26 and will be implemented through the convergence of 36 existing schemes from 11 different central departments, along with relevant state-level programmes and partnerships with the private sector.

The 100 districts will be selected based on three key criteria:

1. Low agricultural productivity

2. Low cropping intensity

3. Low levels of agricultural credit disbursement

The distribution of selected districts across states and union territories will be proportionate to each region’s Net Cropped Area and number of operational holdings, with a minimum of one district per state.

To ensure effective execution, the government will establish committees at the district, state, and national levels. Each district will develop a tailored Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan, led by the District Dhan-Dhaanya Samiti, which will include progressive farmers as members.

These district plans will align with national priorities such as:

• Crop diversification

• Soil and water conservation

• Natural and organic farming

• Self-reliance in agriculture and allied sectors

The performance of each Dhan-Dhaanya district will be tracked monthly using a dashboard of 117 key performance indicators (KPIs). NITI Aayog will oversee planning and provide strategic guidance, while Central Nodal Officers assigned to each district will ensure regular monitoring.

The government expects that as these targeted districts show improvement, national averages across key agricultural indicators will rise, leading to broader transformation.

The scheme is projected to boost productivity, generate local employment, promote value addition in agriculture, and support the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).

With inputs from IANS