PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY), Objectives and Key Features

The government has launched the Prime Minister Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) by merging 36 existing schemes across 11 ministries to boost agricultural productivity and promote sustainable farming practices. In the Union Budget 2025, the Union Finance Minister has announced a new scheme, PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana.

About PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY)

The PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) is motivated by the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP), which was launched in 2018 to “to quickly and effectively transform 112 most underdeveloped districts across the country.”

• ADP focused on 3 Cs: Convergence, Collaboration & Competition.
• Announced in: Union Budget 2025-26
• Coverage: 100 low-performing agricultural districts

Objectives of PMDDKY

• Enhancing Agricultural Productivity: Improving the overall output from agricultural activities.
• Adopting Crop Diversification and Sustainable Agriculture Practices: Encouraging diversified cropping systems and environmentally sustainable agricultural methods.
• Improving Irrigation Facilities: Ensuring better irrigation systems to improve water access for farming.
• Augmenting Post-Harvest Storage: Strengthening storage infrastructure at the panchayat and block levels to prevent crop wastage.
• Enhance access to farm credit, both long-term and short-term.

Parameters for Selection

• Low Productivity: Districts with low agricultural output.
• Moderate Crop Intensity: The cropping intensity, which measures the efficiency of land usage, will be considered.
  • It is defined as the ratio of the gross cropped area to the net area sown.
  • For example, India’s cropping intensity in 2021-22 was 155%, showing how efficiently land was utilized.
• Below-Average Credit Parameters: The financial credit available to farmers in each district will be a consideration.

District Selection Criteria

• Based on 3 key indicators:
  • Low agricultural productivity
  • Moderate cropping intensity
  • Low credit access for farmers
• Cropping intensity: Measures the number of crops per year (India avg: 155% in 2021–22).
• Each state/UT will have at least one district.
• The final district count per state depends on:
  • Share of net cropped area
  • Number of farming households

Key Features

• Beneficiaries: Expected to benefit 7 crore farmers.
• Budget Allocation: No separate allocation announced; funds will be managed through the convergence of existing schemes.

Implementation Strategy

• Each district will create a District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan.
• Plan to be prepared by District Dhan Dhaanya Samiti:
  • Headed by the District Collector
  • Includes progressive farmers
• Focus areas:
  • Crop diversification
  • Soil and water conservation
  • Organic and natural farming
  • Self-sufficiency in agri-allied sectors
• Plans will be locally tailored based on climate and cropping patterns.
• Expert support from agriculture universities (central and state).
• Committees at the district, state, and national levels for planning and monitoring.
• Central Nodal Officers (CNOs) to monitor progress on the ground.

Performance Monitoring and Ranking

• Modelled on the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP).
• Based on convergence, collaboration, and competition.
• Districts are ranked monthly on 117 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
  • KPIs include: agriculture, irrigation, infrastructure, financial inclusion, and skill development.
• NITI Aayog to provide guidance, capacity-building, and technical support.
• A dedicated portal/dashboard to monitor and display district-wise progress.

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