New Delhi- In a landmark move to transform India’s agricultural landscape, the Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the ‘Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana’—a focused six-year initiative beginning in 2025-26 aimed at accelerating development in agriculture and allied sectors across 100 districts.
Drawing inspiration from the Aspirational Districts Programme, this is the first national scheme of its kind to exclusively target areas with low agricultural productivity, minimal credit access, and limited crop intensity. The scheme aims to overhaul rural agriculture through integrated support in irrigation, storage, crop diversification, sustainable farming methods, and enhanced access to both short- and long-term credit.
The programme will operate by converging 36 existing schemes across 11 ministries, along with support from state initiatives and private partnerships. Each participating district will prepare a comprehensive agriculture and allied sector development plan, under the guidance of a District Dhan Dhaanya Committee which will also include progressive farmers. These district-level plans will align with national goals of water and soil conservation, expansion of natural and organic farming, and boosting self-reliance in food production.
Monitoring will be rigorous, with 117 key performance indicators tracked monthly through a centralised dashboard. Oversight will be provided by committees at the national, state, and district levels, while NITI Aayog will periodically review progress and offer strategic inputs.
With at least one district selected from each state and union territory, the scheme ensures inclusive coverage. As these targeted districts make measurable progress, the overall agricultural health and productivity of the nation are expected to improve, contributing significantly to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by strengthening rural livelihoods and ensuring food security at the grassroots.
