Indian Cabinet Approves ‘Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana’ to Boost Agriculture in 100 Districts
17 July 2025, New Delhi: Focus on Low-Performing Regions Through Convergence of Schemes and Crop Diversification
In a significant move to strengthen India’s agricultural backbone, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the ‘Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana’ for a period of six years starting from the financial year 2025-26. This ambitious scheme will cover 100 selected districts and is the first of its kind to focus exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors.
Inspired by the Aspirational Districts Programme
The newly launched scheme draws its inspiration from NITI Aayog’s successful Aspirational District Programme, aiming to bring transformative changes in agricultural practices and productivity in lagging regions. These 100 districts will be identified based on three critical indicators: low productivity, low cropping intensity, and limited access to agricultural credit. The district-wise allocation per state will be determined by the share of net cropped area and the number of operational holdings, ensuring at least one district is included from every state and Union Territory.
Key Objectives and Implementation Strategy
The Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana seeks to increase agricultural productivity, promote crop diversification, and encourage sustainable farming techniques. It also aims to improve irrigation facilities, enhance storage infrastructure at the block and panchayat levels, and ease access to both long-term and short-term credit for farmers.
A unique feature of the scheme is its convergence approach, wherein 36 ongoing schemes across 11 central departments will be unified under a single framework. These efforts will be complemented by state-level initiatives and active partnerships with private sector players, making it a multi-stakeholder and integrated development programme.
Decentralised Planning and Farmer Participation
At the ground level, a three-tier committee structure will be established at the district, state, and national levels for robust planning, coordination, and monitoring. The District Dhan-Dhaanya Samiti, which will include progressive farmers as members, will be responsible for preparing comprehensive plans tailored to local agro-ecological needs. These plans will be aligned with national goals such as soil and water conservation, promotion of natural and organic farming, and self-reliance in agricultural production.
Rigorous Monitoring Through Performance Indicators
To ensure transparency and accountability, progress in each of the selected districts will be tracked using 117 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These indicators will be monitored through a digital dashboard on a monthly basis. In addition, Central Nodal Officers will be appointed for each district to conduct regular reviews, while NITI Aayog will play a key role in guiding and evaluating district-level implementation.
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