PM Modi unveils Rs 35,440-Crore agricultural schemes; Will these transform India’s farming sector?

On Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan’s birth anniversary, PM Narendra Modi launches PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses worth Rs 35,440 crore — aiming to empower farmers, enhance productivity, and strengthen rural India.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled two ambitious initiatives in the agriculture sector — PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses — with a combined financial outlay of Rs 35,440 crore. The launch took place at a special Krishi programme held at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, marking the birth anniversary of Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan.

The initiatives reflect the government’s ongoing efforts to enhance farmer welfare, ensure agricultural self-reliance, and strengthen rural infrastructure — key pillars of the Prime Minister’s vision for a sustainable and prosperous rural economy.

PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana

The PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, with an outlay of Rs 24,000 crore, is designed to boost agricultural productivity and resilience through a district-focused approach. The scheme targets 100 districts across India, aiming to:

1. Encourage crop diversification and sustainable farming practices
2. Develop post-harvest storage infrastructure at the panchayat and block levels
3. Expand irrigation facilities
4. Strengthen credit access for both short-term and long-term agricultural needs

According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the initiative seeks to ensure that farmers are not only productive but also protected from market and climatic fluctuations by improving every stage of the agri-value chain.

What is 'Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses?'

The Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses, with an allocation of Rs 11,440 crore, focuses on enhancing pulses productivity and area under cultivation. The programme will:

• Strengthen the value chain, including procurement, storage, and processing
• Reduce post-harvest losses
• Support research and innovation for high-yield pulse varieties

The goal is to reduce India’s dependence on pulse imports and make the country self-reliant in pulse production, a crucial step toward food security and economic stability for millions of farmers.

Massive Push in Allied Sectors

During the event, PM Modi also inaugurated projects worth Rs 5,450 crore in allied sectors such as animal husbandry, fisheries, and food processing, while laying foundation stones for projects worth ₹815 crore.

Notable inaugurations include:

• Artificial Insemination Training Centres in Bengaluru and Jammu & Kashmir
• Centres of Excellence in Amreli and Banas
• IVF Lab in Assam under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission
• Milk Powder Plants in Mehsana, Indore, and Bhilwara
• Fish Feed Plant in Tezpur, Assam
• Foundation stones were laid for projects like Integrated Cold Chain Infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh, Trout Fisheries in Uttarakhand, and Integrated Aqua Parks in Nagaland and Odisha.

Farmer-Centric Initiatives

The event also highlighted significant achievements under ongoing government programmes:

• 50 lakh farmer memberships in 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)
• 1,100 FPOs achieving an annual turnover of over Rs1 crore (FY 2024–25)
• Certification of 50,000 farmers under the National Mission for Natural Farming
• 38,000 MAITRIs (Multi-Purpose AI Technicians in Rural India) certified
• 10,000 multipurpose e-PACS operationalised and integrated with digital systems
• Additionally, 10,000 PACS have diversified their roles, now functioning as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSKs) and Common Service Centres (CSCs), offering a one-stop solution for agri-services and digital empowerment.

By combining technology, infrastructure, and financial support, these mega schemes aim to transform agriculture into a sustainable and profitable enterprise. PM Modi’s announcement reaffirms the government’s mission to ensure that India’s farmers not only feed the nation but also lead the charge toward an Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).