In a major policy shift for Indian agriculture, the Union Cabinet has approved the Pradhan Mantri Dandanya Krishi Yojana—a transformative umbrella scheme that aims to boost agricultural development in 100 of the most agriculturally backward districts.

This scheme merges 36 existing agricultural schemes, including major ones like PM-KISAN and PM Fasal Bima Yojana, under a single, mission-driven framework. With a budget of ₹24,000 crore over 6 years, the plan targets grassroots development through customized district-level strategies, built around local agricultural challenges.

Key priorities include:

Improving crop diversification to reduce over-dependence on a few MSP-backed crops

Strengthening post-harvest infrastructure like cold storage and warehousing

Enhancing credit disbursement in low-performing areas to reduce debt traps

Ensuring district-level planning through Dandanya Committees to tailor solutions locally

However, there's an important concern. Public spending on agriculture as a percentage of GDP has been consistently declining, from 3.53% in 2021-22 to just 2.51% in the current fiscal year. Even the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has flagged this worrying trend.

The scheme shows promise—but to truly transform Indian agriculture, greater public investment, involvement of agricultural universities, and local cooperative societies must be prioritized alongside private sector participation.

A single umbrella scheme, no matter how ambitious, cannot substitute for a sustained, inclusive, and well-funded approach to rural development.

Let’s hope the implementation matches the intention. 🌾🇮🇳

#Agriculture #Policy #KrishiYojana #PMKisan #RuralDevelopment #PublicSpending #IndianEconomy #CropDiversification #FarmersFirst #SustainableFarming #AgriReforms #EconomicGrowth #India2025 #InclusiveDevelopment #ColdStorage #AgriTech #FasalBima #GrassrootsPlanning