PM to launch Rs 42,000-crore agri schemes on Oct 11, says Shivraj

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch two major agricultural initiatives — the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and the Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission — on October 11 at Pusa Campus in New Delhi, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Thursday.

The event will also see the inauguration and foundation laying of over 1,100 projects worth Rs 42,000 crore in the agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and food processing sectors.

Chouhan said the new initiatives aim to improve farm productivity, enhance food security and reduce India’s dependence on pulse imports.

Under the Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission, the government aims to expand the pulse cultivation area from 27.5 million hectares to 31 million hectares by 2030-31, and to raise production from 24.2 million tonnes to 35 million tonnes. Productivity is targeted to increase from 880 kg per hectare to 1,130 kg per hectare.

To support this expansion, the government will distribute 1.26 crore quintals of certified seeds and provide 88 lakh free mini seed kits to farmers. Around 1,000 processing units will be established in pulse-growing regions, each eligible for a subsidy of Rs 25 lakh, to encourage local value addition. Central agencies will also procure 100 per cent of registered farmers’ produce at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) under the mission.

Chouhan said a research and development plan has been prepared to develop high-yielding, pest-resistant and climate-resilient pulse varieties and ensure their timely distribution.

“India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of pulses but continues to depend on imports. This mission is a step toward bridging that gap,” he said.

The PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana will target 100 low-productivity districts across India to raise yields to at least the national average. The programme will focus on irrigation coverage, crop diversification, credit access and better storage infrastructure.

Chouhan said the model draws inspiration from the Aspirational Districts Programme and will be monitored through a dashboard by NITI Aayog.

“If the productivity of low-performing districts improves, national production and farmers’ incomes will rise,” he said.

On the day of the launch, the PM will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for over 1,100 agriculture-related projects nationwide. These include initiatives under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund and projects in dairy, fisheries and food processing.

Chouhan added that over 50 lakh farmers are now linked to 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), including 1,100 with an annual turnover exceeding Rs 1 crore.

Additionally, 10,000 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) have been computerised and converted into multi-service centres offering fertiliser distribution, digital services and banking support, he said.