NEW DELHI — When agricultural policies are shaped by ground realities and government departments unite in aim, no district is left behind in the pursuit of national development. Emphasizing this vision, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed a national conference on the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium in the Pusa campus, New Delhi.
Speaking to district collectors, scientists, and senior policymakers from over 50 districts across the country, Shri Chouhan extended Navratri greetings and felicitated top-performing districts that demonstrated exceptional performance in agricultural transformation.
Key Highlights & Strategic Directives
1. Grassroots-Led Planning and Multi-Departmental Convergence
Bottom-Up Design: The framework for PMDDKY was drawn directly by district collectors based on field realities rather than formulated in Delhi offices.
Monthly Administrative Assessments: District collectors were directed to assess progress on their District Agricultural Action Plans every month alongside their teams.
Inter-Ministerial Synergies: Boosting farm incomes relies on converging efforts across key sectors:
Ministry of Jal Shakti for efficient water management.
Ministry of Food Processing Industries for post-harvest value addition.
Ministry of Cooperation & FPOs for collective bargaining and trade integration.
Allied domains like animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries, MSMEs, and skill development.
Lab-to-Land Direct Linkages: Nearly 16,000 scientists associated with ICAR, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), ATMA, and agricultural universities must transfer research straight to farmers’ fields.
2. Focus on High-Deficit Regions & Credit Expansion
PMDDKY prioritizes 100 lagging districts facing low crop productivity, poor cropping intensity, or deficient credit flow:
Pulses & Oilseeds in Rice Fallows: A mission-mode push was launched to cultivate pulses and oilseeds in uncultivated fields following paddy harvests.
Credit Acceleration: Enhanced Kisan Credit Card (KCC) coverage and streamlined institutional finance were urged, with a sharp focus on Eastern India and underdeveloped pockets.
District Success Stories & Innovations
The national conference spotlighted several district-led innovations driving regional growth:
| District & State | Strategic Focus Area | Key Impact / Innovation |
| Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) | Water Conservation | Reclaimed drought-hit zones into sustainable green agricultural belts. |
| Alluri Sitharama Raju (Andhra Pradesh) | Low-Water Horticulture | Transitioned dry lands into high-value horticultural production. |
| Banka (Bihar) | Natural Farming Revival | Implemented the Lilawaran Model to eliminate chemical reliance. |
| Kishtwar, Korba, Fazilka | Specialized Regional Models | Honored for local productivity and resilience benchmarks. |
Inspiring Action for Agricultural Transformation
Quoting poetry to inspire field officers, Shri Chouhan urged administrators to break hurdles with conviction:
“Who says a hole cannot be made in the sky? Just throw a stone with conviction, my friends…”
He added that following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Red Fort pledge to work with three times speed and strength during his third term, the entire agriculture and rural development machinery stands committed to realizing a prosperous, Aatmanirbhar farm sector by accelerating District Action Plans.
Source : PIB
