**Summary:**
The Union Cabinet approved the Prime Minister DhanDhaanya Krishi Yojana, a six-year initiative starting in 2025-26, to foster development in agriculture and allied sectors across 100 districts. Inspired by NITI Aayog's Aspirational District Programme, this scheme focuses exclusively on agriculture. Its primary objectives include enhancing agricultural productivity, promoting crop diversification and sustainable practices, augmenting post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block levels, improving irrigation facilities, and facilitating access to both long-term and short-term credit.
The scheme will be implemented through the convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 departments, along with state schemes and private sector partnerships. The 100 districts will be selected based on low productivity, low cropping intensity, and limited credit disbursement, with the number of districts per state/UT determined by the share of Net Cropped Area and operational holdings, ensuring a minimum of one district per state.
District, State, and National level committees will be established for effective planning, implementation, and monitoring. District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plans will be finalized by the District Dhan Dhaanya Samiti, including progressive farmers, aligning with national goals such as crop diversification, water and soil conservation, self-sufficiency, and expansion of natural and organic farming.
Progress in each district will be monitored monthly using a dashboard of 117 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). NITI Aayog will review and guide the district plans, and Central Nodal Officers will be appointed for regular scheme reviews. The scheme anticipates improved productivity, value addition in agriculture and allied sectors, local livelihood creation, increased domestic production, and progress towards self-reliance ('Atmanirbhar Bharat'). Improvements in the targeted districts are expected to positively impact national-level indicators.
Key Entities Referenced
Prime Minister DhanDhaanya Krishi Yojana: A government scheme aimed at fast-tracking development in agriculture and allied sectors in 100 districts.
NITI Aayog: A policy think tank of the Government of India, whose Aspirational District Programme inspired the Prime Minister DhanDhaanya Krishi Yojana.
Aspirational District Programme: An initiative of NITI Aayog focused on improving the socio-economic status of underdeveloped districts in India.
Union Cabinet: The council of ministers in the Government of India.
Shri Narendra Modi: The Prime Minister of India.
District Dhan Dhaanya Samiti: A committee at the district level responsible for finalizing the District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan.
Atmanirbhar Bharat: A vision of self-reliant India.
Delhi: Location of Press Information Bureau (PIB).
Cabinet
Cabinet approves the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya
Krishi Yojana
Fast tracking development in agriculture and allied
sectors in 100 districts
Posted On: 16 JUL 2025 2:47PM by PIB Delhi
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today approved the “Prime Minister
Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana” for a period of six years, beginning with 2025-26 to cover 100 districts. Prime
Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana draws inspiration from NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme
and first of its kind focusing exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors.
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. It is in pursuance of Budget
announcement for 2025-26 to develop 100 districts under “Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana”.
The Scheme will be implemented through convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 Departments, other
State schemes and local partnerships with the private sector.
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.
Committees will be formed at District, State and National level for effective planning, implementation and
monitoring of the Scheme. A District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan will be finalized 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
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 scheme will result in higher productivity, value addition in agriculture
and allied sector, local livelihood creation and hence increase domestic production and achieving self-reliance
(Atmanirbhar Bharat). As the indicators of these 100 districts improve, the national indicators will
automatically show an upward trajectory.
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MJPS/BM
(Release ID: 2145146)