New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Prime Minister Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana for six years, commencing this fiscal year and covering 100 districts nationwide with an annual outlay of ₹24,000 per district. The scheme will be implemented by converging 36 existing programmes across 11 Central ministries, alongside state schemes and private sector partnerships.Union information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the initiative aims to enhance agricultural productivity; promote crop diversification and sustainable practices; expand post-harvest storage at panchayat and block levels; improve irrigation facilities; and facilitate both short-term and long-term credit. “It fulfills our 2025-26 Budget commitment to develop 100 districts under the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana,” he stated. Modelled on NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme, this scheme is the first to focus exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors. The 100 districts will be chosen based on three indicators — low productivity, low cropping intensity, and limited credit disbursement — with at least one district selected from each state or union territory. Allocation of additional districts will reflect each region’s share of net cropped area and operational holdings. Vaishnaw added that committees will be constituted at the district, state, and national levels to ensure effective planning, implementation, and monitoring. Each District Dhan Dhaanya Samiti, including progressive farmers, will finalise a District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan aligned with national goals: crop diversification, water and soil‐health conservation, self-sufficiency in agriculture and allied sectors, and expansion of natural and organic farming. Progress in each district will be tracked monthly on 117 key performance indicators via an online dashboard. NITI Aayog and Central Nodal Officers appointed for each district will regularly review and guide the plans. “A rise in these districts’ performance will lift the country’s overall agricultural indicators, driving higher productivity, value addition, local livelihood creation, and Atmanirbhar Bharat,” the government statement concluded.
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