Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched two major agricultural schemes worth a combined ₹35,440 crore, including a mission aimed at achieving self-reliance in pulses, urging farmers to step up production to meet domestic and global demand.
Addressing the gathering at the Pusa campus in New Delhi, Mr. Modi emphasized that farmers play a pivotal role in realising the vision of a developed India (Viksit Bharat) by 2047. He described the two initiatives — the ₹24,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PM-DDKY) and the ₹11,440-crore Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses — as transformative schemes capable of changing the lives of millions of farmers.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated projects worth over ₹5,450 crore across agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, and food processing sectors, while laying the foundation for additional projects valued at around ₹815 crore.
The PM-DDKY targets 100 low-performing districts identified under the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP). The scheme focuses on improving crop productivity, promoting crop diversification, enhancing irrigation and storage infrastructure, and ensuring better access to credit in the selected districts.
Under the pulses mission, Mr. Modi urged farmers to expand pulses cultivation by 35 lakh hectares by 2030, aiming to raise production from 252.38 lakh tonnes to 350 lakh tonnes by 2030-31 and reduce import dependency.
Taking a swipe at the previous Congress government, the Prime Minister said the farm sector had been “neglected” and accused the Opposition of lacking a clear vision for agricultural growth. He highlighted reforms implemented over the last 11 years, describing efforts spanning the entire value chain, from seeds to markets.
During his tenure, he said, farm exports have doubled, foodgrain production has increased by 900 lakh tonnes, and the output of fruits and vegetables has risen by 640 lakh tonnes. The recent reduction in GST rates, he added, has especially benefited rural India and farmers, making agricultural machinery like tractors more affordable.
The launch event was attended by Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, and Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary.
