Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch two major schemes, the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and the Mission for Self-Reliance in Pulses, at the National Agricultural Science Complex, Pusa, New Delhi, on October 11. The initiatives aim to boost food security, increase farmers’ incomes, and strengthen rural livelihoods as India enters the Rabi sowing season, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced in New Delhi on Thursday (October 9, 2025).
Addressing a press conference, Chouhan said the new programmes reflect the government’s vision to make India the “world’s food basket” and to benchmark its progress against global standards. He noted that since 2014, India’s foodgrain production has jumped nearly 40 per cent, with record yields in wheat, rice, maize, groundnut, and soybean.
The country is now self-sufficient in wheat and rice, and has exported over 4 crore tonnes of agricultural produce. However, he acknowledged that pulses remain a key area where India continues to rely on imports despite being the world’s largest producer and consumer.
To address this gap, the government is set to launch the ambitious Mission for Self-Reliance in Pulses, targeting an expansion of the area under cultivation from 27.5 million hectares to 31 million hectares by 2030–31 and an increase in production from 24.2 million tonnes to 35 million tonnes.
Productivity is expected to rise from 880 kg per hectare to 1,130 kg through the use of improved, pest-resistant, and climate-resilient varieties. The mission will also focus on strengthening research and development to develop better seeds and distribute them to farmers on a large scale.
Chouhan said the Centre will distribute 1.26 crore quintals of certified seeds and 88 lakh free mini-seed kits, alongside the establishment of 1,000 processing units in major pulse-growing regions. Each unit will receive a government subsidy of Rs 25 lakh to encourage value addition and ensure farmers get better prices. “This is about strengthening our farmers’ hands with technology, infrastructure, and fair markets,” Chouhan said.
The PM Dhan-Dhaanya Yojana, meanwhile, will target 100 low-productivity districts to bridge yield gaps through focused interventions in irrigation, storage, credit access, and crop diversification. Modelled on the Aspirational Districts Programme, the scheme will be monitored via a NITI Aayog dashboard to ensure real-time progress tracking.
Chouhan said the twin launches on October 11, which coincides with the birth anniversary of Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan, mark a major step towards turning policy commitments into tangible results for farmers. Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi and ICAR Director General Dr. Mangi Lal Jat were also present at the briefing.
