New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said that while the first year of the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana had focused on establishing strong foundations, the coming year must be dedicated to delivering visible and measurable outcomes on the ground, including enhancing farmers’ incomes.
Addressing an event to mark the completion of the first year of the scheme, the minister highlighted the importance of improving agricultural productivity, increasing cropping intensity, strengthening irrigation and water management, facilitating access to agricultural credit, promoting high-value agriculture, and improving post-harvest infrastructure.
Chouhan emphasised that the ultimate measure of Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana’s (PMDDKY) success would be the meaningful difference it makes to the lives of farmers. He called upon all stakeholders to strengthen coordination, accelerate implementation and focus on measurable improvements in agricultural outcomes and sustainable farm incomes. The participation of allied ministries reflected the importance of a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to agricultural development.
Chouhan reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to working with State Governments, district administrations, scientific institutions and farmers to translate district action plans into tangible results. The coming year will focus on scaling up successful interventions and improving outcomes across all identified districts, with the overarching vision of making all 100 PMDDKY districts truly “Dhan-Dhaanya” — rich in grain and rich in prosperity.
The minister also emphasised that the Khet Bachao Abhiyan, scheduled to be organised across all States from October 22 to November 30, 2026, aims to promote soil health through the balanced and judicious use of fertilisers.
The Minister encouraged all State Governments and concerned authorities to actively participate in the campaign and ensure its successful implementation. He highlighted the importance of adopting sustainable agricultural practices to maintain soil fertility, protect the environment, and preserve natural resources for future generations.
In his welcome address, the Secretary, Department of Agriculture, underscored the district-centric approach of the scheme, under which action plans are prepared by districts in accordance with their soil conditions, rainfall, cropping patterns, water availability, infrastructure and the needs of their farming communities. He acknowledged the contribution of State Governments, District Collectors, District Nodal Officers, Central Nodal Officers, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) scientists and field functionaries in implementing the scheme.
The programme also recognised outstanding district performance under PMDDKY. Gaya district, Bihar, secured first position; Nagaur district, Rajasthan, secured second position; and Umaria district, Madhya Pradesh, secured third position among the best-performing districts overall. In addition, 18 districts were recognised for exemplary work across the six key objectives of the scheme,
Prime Minister Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY), announced in Union Budget 2025-26, was formally launched on October 11, 2025, to cover 100 districts with low productivity, low cropping intensity and less agricultural credit disbursement.
–IANS
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