Cabinet clears PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana with Rs 24,000 cr annual outlay for 6 yrs

New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved 'Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana' with an annual outlay of Rs 24,000 crore for six years to cover 100 districts, benefiting about 1.7 crore farmers.

The scheme is in pursuance of the Budget announcement for 2025-26 to develop 100 districts to enhance agricultural productivity, increase adoption of crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices.

The 'Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana' will be implemented through the convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 departments, other state schemes and local partnerships with the private sector, I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while briefing reporters about the decisions taken by the Cabinet.

He said the scheme will benefit about 1.7 crore farmers.

An official release said that the scheme aims to enhance agricultural productivity, increase adoption of crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices, augment post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block levels, improve irrigation facilities and facilitate availability of long-term and short-term credit.

The 100 districts will be identified based on three key indicators of low productivity, low cropping intensity, and less credit disbursement.

The number of districts in each state/UT will be based on the share of net cropped area and operational holdings. However, a minimum of 1 district will be selected from each state.

The release further said committees will be formed at district, state and national levels for effective planning, implementation and monitoring of the scheme.

A District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan will be finalised by the District Dhan Dhaanya Samiti, which will also have progressive farmers as members.

The district plans will be aligned to the national goals of crop diversification, conservation of water and soil health, self-sufficiency in agriculture and allied sectors as well as expansion of natural and organic farming. Progress of the Scheme in each Dhan-Dhaanya district will be monitored on 117 key Performance Indicators through a dashboard on a monthly basis.

NITI will also review and guide the district plans. Besides, Central Nodal Officers appointed for each district will also review the scheme on a regular basis.

"As the targeted outcomes in these 100 districts will improve, the overall average against key performance indicators will rise for the country," the release said.

Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana will result in higher productivity, value addition in agriculture and allied sector, local livelihood creation and hence increase domestic production and achieve self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat), it said.

As the indicators of these 100 districts improve, the national indicators will automatically show an upward trajectory.

Commenting on the scheme, Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD, Mahindra Group, said, "The Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana is a bold and visionary step toward transforming Indian agriculture at the grassroots level. By focusing on 100 districts with targeted support and convergence across schemes, this initiative has the potential to unlock rural prosperity, drive crop diversification, and accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices." PTI NKD NKD MR