Choked
The world tends to think of oil as the bloodstream of the global economy.
The Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY), a flagship initiative of the Union Government, is designed to revolutionize India’s agricultural sector by fostering inclusive and sustainable growth in 100 agri-districts.
The scheme aims to achieve this through saturation-based convergence of 36 Central government schemes, backed by an annual outlay of ₹24,000 crore over a period of six years, starting from the current financial year.
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First announced in the Union Budget 2025–26, PMDDKY ensures the coordinated delivery of existing programmes to the last-mile farmer, minimizing duplication and maximizing impact.
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According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the scheme draws inspiration from the successful Aspirational Districts Programme and is projected to directly benefit 1.7 crore farmers across the country.
The key objectives of the scheme include enhancing agricultural productivity;
promoting crop diversification; improving post-harvest storage; strengthening irrigation infrastructure, and ensuring both short-term and long-term credit availability for farmers.
These efforts are aimed not only at boosting farm incomes but also at promoting climate-resilient and market-oriented farming practices.
The 100 districts will be identified based on indicators such as low productivity, low cropping intensity, and limited credit disbursement.
The allocation of districts per state or union territory will be proportionate to the share of Net Cropped Area and operational holdings, with a minimum of one district from each state to ensure balanced geographical representation.
Each selected district will establish a District Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (DDKY) Samiti, chaired by the District Collector. These committees will oversee the coordinated implementation of all converging schemes tailored to the district’s agro-climatic conditions and cropping patterns.
Progress will be tracked via 117 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on a central monitoring dashboard, reviewed monthly to assess implementation, identify bottlenecks, and ensure accountability.
Similar convergence teams will be formed at the state level, with responsibilities mirroring those at the district level.
At the central level, two oversight teams will be constituted—one comprising Union Ministers and another composed of Secretaries and senior departmental officers—to guide strategic planning, execution, and problem-solving.
To strengthen field-level oversight, Central Nodal Officers will be appointed for each district to conduct regular field visits, monitor performance, and liaise with local teams.
In addition to crop farming, the scheme will also prioritize sectors such as horticulture, fisheries, beekeeping, animal husbandry, and agroforestry, ensuring a holistic approach to rural development.
Leveraging scale, technology, and institutional coordination, PMDDKY is poised to be a game changer for rural transformation, the ministry stated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while announcing the scheme, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming the lives of farmers.
“This will not only increase crop production in districts that have lagged behind in the agricultural sector but also boost the income of our food providers,” the Prime Minister posted on X.
“We are committed to bringing a significant change in the lives of our farmer brothers and sisters. In this direction, the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Agriculture Scheme has been approved today,” he added.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Modi, gave final approval to the scheme last month, marking a major policy step in India’s agrarian transformation journey.
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