NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the launch of the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, an umbrella programme that merges 36 existing schemes to uplift India’s agriculture sector.
The scheme, with an annual outlay of Rs 24,000 crore, will run for six years and focus on 100 deprived districts across the country, with a minimum of one district selected from each state and Union Territory.
Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the new initiative is designed to enhance post-harvest storage, improve irrigation infrastructure, raise agricultural productivity, and expand credit facilities for farmers. Nearly 1.7 crore farmers are expected to benefit from the scheme, he added.
Officials said the Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana draws inspiration from NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme, but is unique in being the first initiative focused 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,” Vaishnaw said.
The scheme aligns with the Union Budget 2025-26 announcement and will be implemented by converging 36 ongoing schemes from 11 central ministries and departments, in coordination with state-level schemes and local private sector partnerships.
Vaishnaw added, “The 100 districts will be identified based on three key indicators, low productivity, low crop density, and low credit disbursement. The number of districts selected from each state/UT will be proportionate to the state’s share of Net Cropped Area and operational holdings.”
Committees at district, state, and national levels will be formed for effective planning, implementation, and monitoring. A District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan (DAAAP) will be prepared by the District Dhan-Dhaanya Samiti, which will also include progressive farmers as members.
The district plans will be aligned with national goals such as crop diversification, water and soil conservation, self-sufficiency in agriculture and allied sectors, and the promotion of natural and organic farming.
“The progress of the scheme in each Dhan-Dhaanya district will be tracked on 117 key performance indicators via a dashboard updated monthly. NITI Aayog will also review and guide the district plans. In addition, central nodal officers appointed for each district will monitor progress on a regular basis,” Vaishnaw said.
PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana
Total outlay: Rs 24,000 crore per annum
Resource pool: Convergence of 36 existing schemes from 11 ministries
Coverage: 100 districts, with at least one from every state/UT
Targeted beneficiaries: 1.7 crore farmers
Implementation period: 6 years (starting from 2025-26)
Objectives:
Enhance agricultural productivity
Promote crop diversification
Encourage sustainable agricultural practices
Strengthen post-harvest storage at panchayat and block levels
Improve irrigation infrastructure
Provide long-term and short-term credit to farmers