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Introduction

Indian agriculture continues to face chronic structural issues such as low productivity, inefficient land use, limited credit access, and unsustainable practices. In this context, the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY), with a focus on scheme convergence and district-level planning, aims to revitalize 100 low-performing agricultural districts by aligning them with national productivity and sustainability goals.

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Significance of PMDDKY in Tackling Structural Issues in Indian Agriculture

• Scheme Convergence for Holistic Development: Converging 36 schemes from 11 ministries ensures comprehensive intervention in agriculture and allied sectors.
• District-Specific Planning for Local Solutions: District-level agricultural plans help address region-specific agro-climatic and socio-economic challenges.
  Eg: District Dhan Dhaanya Samitis will prepare context-based agricultural master plans aligned with agro-climatic conditions, ensuring better crop planning and resource use.
• Crop Diversification and Sustainability Focus: Promotes diversified and environmentally sustainable agriculture in districts with low cropping intensity.
• Boosting Productivity and Irrigation Facilities: Addresses low productivity and irrigation gaps to make farming more efficient and profitable.
  Eg: PMDDKY targets 100 low-productivity districts for infrastructure upgrades including better irrigation networks, reducing dependency on rain-fed agriculture.
• Enhancing Access to Agricultural Credit: Districts with below-average credit parameters will receive focused attention to improve financial inclusion.
• Technology and Institutional Support: Involves agriculture universities and technical partners to support modern farming practices.

Challenges in Effective Implementation

• Complexity in Inter-Ministerial Convergence: Coordinating 36 schemes from 11 ministries can cause bureaucratic delays and overlap.
• Weak District-Level Capacities: District administrations may lack technical manpower and institutional capacity for plan execution.
• Variability in Agro-Climatic Conditions: Uniform targets may not suit diverse agricultural needs across districts.
• Monitoring and Evaluation Bottlenecks: Real-time performance tracking and accurate data collection may pose difficulties.
  Eg: Despite the proposed portal/dashboard, inconsistencies in field-level data may undermine monthly KPI-based performance evaluation.
• Farmer Awareness and Participation Gaps: Progressive farmer participation is crucial but may be tokenistic or limited in real terms.
• Limited Infrastructure for Post-Harvest Management: Inadequate cold storage and processing facilities may hinder value addition despite increased productivity.

Conclusion

The PMDDKY can transform underperforming agricultural districts through convergence and local planning, but its success depends on strong coordination, capacity-building, transparency, and sustained support. Effective implementation can drive Atmanirbhar Krishi and rural prosperity.

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