The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the “Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana” for a six-year period starting from 2025-26. The scheme aims to transform agricultural and allied activities in 100 identified districts, drawing inspiration from the success of NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme. It is the first initiative of its kind to focus exclusively on improving agriculture and allied sectors through targeted, district-specific interventions.
The key objectives of the scheme include enhancing agricultural productivity, promoting crop diversification and sustainable practices, expanding post-harvest storage at panchayat and block levels, improving irrigation infrastructure, and increasing access to both short- and long-term agricultural credit. Announced as part of the 2025-26 Union Budget, the scheme aims to strengthen self-reliance in agriculture and allied sectors in line with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The scheme will be implemented through convergence of 36 existing schemes spanning 11 Central Departments, in collaboration with State initiatives and private sector partnerships. The 100 districts will be selected based on key indicators: low productivity, low cropping intensity, and low credit disbursement. Selection will also factor in each state or UT’s share of Net Cropped Area and number of operational land holdings, with a minimum of one district per state.
To ensure effective execution, multi-tiered committees will be established at the District, State, and National levels. At the district level, a District Dhan-Dhaanya Samiti—which will include progressive farmers—will oversee the formulation and implementation of District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plans. These plans will align with national priorities such as crop diversification, water and soil conservation, natural and organic farming, and overall agricultural self-sufficiency.
Progress in each district will be tracked using 117 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on a digital dashboard updated monthly. NITI Aayog will regularly review and guide the implementation, while Central Nodal Officers assigned to each district will provide continuous oversight.
As the performance of these 100 districts improves, it is expected to raise national averages across multiple agricultural indicators, driving productivity, value addition, employment generation, and domestic food security across the country.
