PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana at one year: Gaya, Nagaur and Umaria top the ranking

PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana: what happened?

Most farm schemes are designed in Delhi and pushed down to every district in the same shape. PMDDKY turns this around: it picks the districts that lag on three things, asks each one to write its own plan, and then ranks them every month. The first-year review on 12 October was the first public scorecard.

• PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) completed one year on 11 October 2026; the Agriculture Ministry held a national conference at Pusa, New Delhi on 12 October 2026.
• Gaya (Bihar) was ranked first among the best-performing districts, Nagaur (Rajasthan) second and Umaria (Madhya Pradesh) third; 18 more districts were recognised across the six objectives of the scheme.
• District performance is tracked on 121 indicators through a dashboard, with monthly rankings.

How are PMDDKY districts chosen?

• The scheme covers 100 districts with low agricultural productivity, low cropping intensity and low disbursement of agricultural credit.
• Cropping intensity is how many times the same land is sown in a year; a district that grows one crop and leaves the field fallow scores low.
• Each district prepares an action plan based on its soil, rainfall, cropping pattern, water and infrastructure. District Dhan-Dhaanya Samitis coordinate planning and implementation.

What are the six objectives?

What does convergence mean here?

• PMDDKY does not bring a big new pot of money of its own. It brings together 36 existing Central schemes of 11 Ministries and Departments, plus State schemes, so that irrigation, storage, credit, seeds and extension reach the same district under one plan.
• The Minister named Jal Shakti (water), Food Processing (value addition), Cooperation and FPOs (collective action), and animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries, MSMEs and skills as partners.
• Research from ICAR’s nearly 16,000 scientists, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, ATMA and agricultural universities is meant to reach farmers directly.

What did the model districts show?

How does a PMDDKY district work in practice?

From selection to ranking

1. District picked on low productivity, cropping intensity and credit
2. District Dhan-Dhaanya Samiti writes an action plan
3. 36 Central schemes and State schemes converge on that plan
4. Progress tracked on 121 indicators
5. Monthly ranking; best districts recognised

Why does PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana matter?

What are the challenges in PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana?

• Convergence is easy to announce and hard to run: 36 schemes come with their own guidelines, budgets and timelines.
• Ranking on 121 indicators can push districts to report well rather than farm better if data checks are weak.
• Year one was about setting up plans and committees; the Minister himself said year two must show measurable results.
• Credit gaps in eastern India are old problems that a district plan alone cannot fix without banks on board.

What should be done next on PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana?

• Publish district-wise outcome data, not just rankings, so others can copy what works.
• Tie the Khet Bachao Abhiyan on balanced fertiliser use to Soil Health Card data in PMDDKY districts.
• Push pulses and oilseeds on rice fallows in mission mode, as directed.
• Bring banks into district plans to widen KCC coverage.

What can Prelims ask on PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana?

• PMDDKY: announced in Budget 2025-26; launched 11 October 2025; 100 districts.
• Selection: low productivity, low cropping intensity, low credit.
• Convergence of 36 Central schemes of 11 Ministries and Departments.
• 121 indicators; monthly ranking; Gaya first, Nagaur second, Umaria third in year one.
• Khet Bachao Abhiyan: 22 October to 30 November 2026, balanced fertiliser use.
• Lilawaran model (natural farming): Banka, Bihar.

How to write about PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana in Mains

Practice question (10 marks, 150 words): “District-level convergence can do for agriculture what the aspirational districts programme did for social indicators.” Examine with reference to PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana. (150 words)

• Intro: PMDDKY at one year; 100 lagging districts.
• Design: three selection criteria, district plans, 36 schemes, 121 indicators.
• Early results: top districts and model cases (Gadchiroli, Banka).
• Limits: running many schemes together, data quality, credit gaps.
• Way forward: outcome data, rice fallows, KCC; conclude on year two as the real test.

What should UPPCS aspirants note?

• Three UP districts were recognised: Chitrakoot for productivity, Mahoba for crop diversification and Jalaun for agricultural credit.