Prime Minister Narendra Modi
| Photo Credit:
ANI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 11 will roll out two major schemes —Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses and Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana—announced in the Budget and already approved by the Cabinet, said Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He expressed confidence that the country would attain self sufficiency in pulses by 2030-31 and said Modi will speak to farmers benefitted from other schemes.
Besides, the Prime Minister will launch 1,168 projects worth ₹3,681 crore on the occasion, Chouhan said.
Briefing media in New Delhi on Thursday, Chouhan said the government has set a target to increase pulses production by 39 per cent to 35 million tonnes (mt) by 2030-31 crop year from 25.24 mt in 2024-25 by increasing the acreage as well as productivity. Despite a good production India had imported record over 6.9 mt of different pulses in 2024-25.
Exuding confidence that the target would be met, he said the government would take appropriate decisions related to import duties of pulses for safeguarding the interests of farmers. Pointing out that India is the world’s biggest consumer and even though production has increased, it failed to keep pace with growing demand, Chouhan said the government needs to balance the interest of consumers, too.
On October 2, the Cabinet approved the ₹11,440-crore “Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses” scheme to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses in six years.
The mission will be implemented through a cluster-based approach across 416 focused districts of the country, where about 1,000 new packaging and processing units will be set up, with a maximum subsidy of ₹25 lakh per unit. The government plans to distribute 126 lakh quintals of certified seeds to pulse-growing farmers in 370 lh over the six year period under the mission.
The targetted area increase under pulses has been set at 310 lakh hectares (lh) from 276.24 lh in 2024-25, and yield at 1,130 kg per hectare from 914 kg per hectare. But, the acreage has dipped 10 per cent to 276.24 lh in 2024-25 from 307.31 lh in 2021-22.
Chouhan said the government has identified 100 blocks where the productivity is very low compared with the national average and if yield level there is brought to the all India average, the overall production will see a major jump. Besides, focus will be on both intercropping and tapping rice fallow land, he added.
PM-DDKY
The Minister also said Modi would also launch the ₹24,000-crore Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PM-DDKY) under which 100 select districts have been identified where it will be implemented over next six years, potentially benefiting about 1.7 crore farmers. But, it will be implemented through the convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 departments.
The government recently appointed a joint secretary (from various ministries) for each of the 100 districts as nodal officer to supervise the scheme. Sources said that the selection is based on either the home district or neighbouring district about which the officer is well acquainted.
The PM-DDKY aims to enhance agricultural productivity, increase adoption of crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices, augment post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block levels, improve irrigation facilities and facilitate availability of long-term and short-term credit.
Published on October 9, 2025