The Centre has announced the identification of 100 Aspirational Agriculture Districts across 29 states and Union Territories under the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY), with Uttar Pradesh leading the list with 12 districts. This move, approved by the Union Cabinet with an annual outlay of ₹24,000 crore, aims to boost agricultural productivity, promote sustainable practices, and achieve self-reliance in underperforming agricultural regions through the convergence of 36 existing schemes.
What is the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) and its core purpose?
Introduction to the Scheme: PMDDKY is a flagship initiative announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 and approved by the Cabinet in July 2025, aimed at transforming 100 underperforming agricultural districts into high-productivity zones. It is the first scheme exclusively focused on agriculture and allied sectors, drawing inspiration from the Aspirational Districts Programme to foster competitive development.
Core Purpose: The scheme seeks to address regional imbalances in agriculture by boosting productivity in areas with low yields, encouraging sustainable farming, and integrating farmers into value chains for better income and self-reliance.
Alignment with National Goals: It supports broader objectives like crop diversification, water and soil conservation, self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds, and expansion of organic farming to make India a global leader in sustainable agriculture.
What are the criteria for selecting the 100 Aspirational Agriculture Districts and how are they distributed?
Selection Criteria: Districts were chosen based on three indicators—low agricultural productivity (measured by yield per hectare), low cropping intensity (percentage of cropped area used multiple times in a year), and below-average credit disbursement (access to institutional loans for farming). This ensures focus on areas needing urgent intervention.
Distribution Basis: The number of districts per state is proportional to its share of net cropped area (total land under cultivation) and operational holdings (number of farm units), with a minimum of one district per state/UT to promote inclusivity.
State-Wise Breakdown: Uttar Pradesh leads with 12 districts due to its large agricultural base, followed by Maharashtra (9), Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan (8 each), Bihar (7), and others like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal (4 each), ensuring coverage across diverse agro-climatic zones.
What is the funding mechanism and implementation structure of PMDDKY?
Funding Details: The scheme has an annual outlay of ₹24,000 crore for six years (2025-26 onwards), implemented through convergence of 36 central schemes from 11 ministries, state programs, and private partnerships, without new budgetary allocation. This convergence model optimizes existing resources for maximum impact.
Implementation Framework: District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plans are prepared by the District Dhan Dhaanya Samiti, comprising officials and progressive farmers, aligned with local needs and national priorities. Three-tier committees (district, state, national) oversee execution, with Central Nodal Officers monitoring ground-level progress.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Progress is tracked monthly via a digital dashboard with 117 key performance indicators, including yield improvements, credit uptake, and storage infrastructure, ensuring transparency and accountability.
What are the key objectives and expected benefits of the scheme?
Primary Objectives: Enhance agricultural productivity through better inputs and technology; promote crop diversification and sustainable practices like natural farming; build post-harvest storage at panchayat/block levels to reduce losses; improve irrigation for water efficiency; and ensure easy access to short-term (crop loans) and long-term (infrastructure) credit.
Expected Benefits: It will directly benefit 1.7 crore farmers by increasing incomes, creating local jobs in value addition (e.g., processing units), reducing post-harvest losses (currently 15-20% in India), and boosting domestic production to cut imports of edibles like pulses and oilseeds.
Long-Term Impact: As district-level improvements occur, national indicators like overall crop yield (India's average rice yield is 2.7 tonnes/ha vs. global 4.6) and cropping intensity (current 140% average) will rise, contributing to food security and export growth.
What is the background and basic knowledge of aspirational programs in India, and how does PMDDKY fit in?
Background on Aspirational Districts Programme: Launched in January 2018 by NITI Aayog, it targeted 112 backward districts across sectors like health, education, and infrastructure, using real-time data and competition to drive progress—resulting in improvements like a 20% rise in health indicators in some areas.
Issues in Indian Agriculture: India, with 18% of the world's population but only 2.4% land, faces challenges like fragmented holdings (86% small farms <2 ha), low productivity due to climate variability, poor irrigation (only 47% net sown area irrigated), and credit gaps (only 60% farmers access institutional credit), leading to farmer distress and migration.
How PMDDKY Fits: Building on the aspirational model, PMDDKY applies it specifically to agriculture, addressing sector-specific gaps amid India's goal to double farmers' income (from ₹1.3 lakh in 2022) and achieve $1 trillion agri-economy by 2030, while tackling climate change impacts like erratic monsoons.
From an Indian perspective, what are the potential challenges and implications for states like Uttar Pradesh?
Challenges: Implementation hurdles include coordinating multiple schemes, ensuring private sector involvement, addressing local issues like insurgency in some districts (e.g., Gadchiroli in Maharashtra), and building farmer capacity for sustainable practices amid rising input costs.
Implications for States: For UP, with its vast Ganga basin and high dependence on agriculture (25% of GDP), the 12 districts could boost output in crops like wheat and sugarcane, reducing poverty in backward Bundelkhand region; nationally, it strengthens food security, as India produces 300 million tonnes of foodgrains annually but faces distribution inefficiencies.
Broader Geopolitical Angle: Enhances India's self-reliance, reducing import dependence (e.g., ₹2 lakh crore edible oils annually), and positions it better in global trade amid US-China tensions affecting supply chains.
© 2025 Gaining Sun. All rights reserved.