PM Modi Launches Rs 35,440 Crore Agricultural Schemes to Boost Self-Reliance and Transform Indian Farming

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched two significant agricultural initiatives on Saturday with a total budget of Rs 35,440 crore, including a mission focused on self-reliance in pulses production. He urged farmers to increase their output to reduce India's import dependency and meet global market demands.

After inaugurating various agriculture and allied sector projects, the Prime Minister emphasized that farmers play a vital role in achieving the vision of a developed India (Viksit Bharat) by 2047.

The launch ceremony at Pusa campus coincided with the birth anniversaries of renowned socialist reformers Jayaprakash Narayan and Nanaji Deshmukh.

During his 30-minute speech, PM Modi contrasted his government's accomplishments with those of the Congress party, stating that the opposition's negligence had weakened the agricultural ecosystem, with different departments operating "in multiple directions without coordination."

The Prime Minister introduced the Rs 24,000-crore 'Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana' (PM-DDKY) and the Rs 11,440-crore 'Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses,' noting that these initiatives would "change the fate of millions of farmers."

Both schemes, previously approved by the Cabinet, will be implemented from the upcoming rabi (winter) season through 2030-31.

PM Modi also inaugurated projects valued at over Rs 5,450 crore across agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, and food processing sectors, while laying foundation stones for additional projects worth approximately Rs 815 crore.

"You have made India self-reliant in food grains after Independence. Now, you have a crucial role in making India a developed nation. We must become self-reliant in food production while also producing for global markets. We need to access international markets," PM Modi stated, encouraging farmers to focus on crops with global demand.

"We must reduce our imports and increase our exports," he added, explaining that the two new schemes would significantly contribute to achieving these dual objectives.

The Prime Minister urged farmers to diversify beyond wheat and rice, with particular emphasis on pulses to ensure protein security. Despite being the world's largest producer and consumer of pulses, India still relies on imports to meet domestic demand.

Under the pulses mission, PM Modi highlighted the necessity to expand pulses cultivation by 35 lakh hectares by 2030 to boost production and achieve self-sufficiency. The mission aims to increase pulses production from the current 252.38 lakh tonnes to 350 lakh tonnes by 2030-31, thereby reducing import dependency.

PM Modi explained that the PM-DDKY, modeled after the government's Aspirational Districts Programme, will target 100 underperforming agricultural districts and integrate 36 schemes from various ministries.

The program will concentrate on enhancing productivity, promoting crop diversification, improving irrigation and storage infrastructure, and ensuring access to credit.

Criticizing the previous Congress government, PM Modi accused it of "neglecting" the agricultural sector, stating that the opposition party lacked "vision" for developing this essential sector.

This neglect, he said, weakened the farming ecosystem as different departments operated without proper coordination.

"The previous government lacked vision for the growth of this crucial sector," PM Modi remarked, outlining how his administration had initiated reforms from 'Beej to Bazaar' (Seed to Markets) since 2014, increased the agricultural budget, enhanced fertilizer subsidies, and recently reduced GST rates on farm machinery and equipment.

The Prime Minister noted that these measures had resulted in doubled farm exports, increased foodgrain production by 900 lakh tonnes, and boosted fruits and vegetables production by 640 lakh tonnes.

During the event, PM Modi distributed certificates to farmers certified under the National Mission for Natural Farming, MAITRI technicians, and Primary Agriculture Cooperative Credit Societies (PACS) converted to Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSKs) and Common Service Centres (CSCs).

The ceremony highlighted significant achievements under government initiatives, including 50 lakh farmer memberships in 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), with 1,100 FPOs recording annual turnover exceeding Rs 1 crore in 2024-25.

Other accomplishments include certifying 50,000 farmers under the National Mission for Natural Farming, certifying 38,000 MAITRIs (Multi-Purpose AI Technicians in Rural India), sanctioning and operationalizing over 10,000 multipurpose and e-PACS for computerization, and strengthening PACS, dairy, and fishery cooperative societies.

PM Modi also interacted with farmers engaged in pulses cultivation who have benefited from various government programs aimed at establishing a value chain-based approach in agriculture, animal husbandry, and fisheries.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, and Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary attended the event.