PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana Turns One: 100 Farm Districts Told to Show Results in FY27
The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare reviewed the first year of the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) on October 12, 2026.
The Ministry said the first year was about laying foundations. In 2026-27 (FY27), the 100 selected districts must show visible and measurable results on the ground.
Focus areas named: farm productivity, cropping intensity, irrigation and water management, farm credit, high-value crops, post-harvest storage and farmers' incomes.
District performance is tracked on 121 indicators with monthly rankings. In the August 2026 ranking, 62 of the 100 districts scored below 50. Experts linked weak scores to poor implementation and unclear accountability of nodal officers.
Top performers in August included Gaya (Bihar), Nagaur (Rajasthan) and Umaria (Madhya Pradesh). The lowest included Mamit (Mizoram), South Goa (Goa) and Sribhumi (Assam).
A soil health campaign, the Khet Bachao Abhiyan, is planned in all states from October 22 to November 30, 2026, to promote balanced fertiliser use.
Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY)
The Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) is a central government programme to lift farming in 100 districts where agriculture is doing poorly. "Dhan-Dhaanya" means "wealth and grain", so the name means a district rich in both. The scheme does not create a fresh pool of money. Instead, it makes 36 existing schemes of 11 departments focus their efforts together on these districts. The goal is to raise crop yields, help farmers grow a wider mix of crops, build storage and irrigation, and make farm loans easier to get.
After one year, the Ministry's review shows the monitoring system working as designed: monthly rankings now clearly separate leaders like Gaya from laggards like Mamit. The demand for "visible results in FY27" is a push to turn the scheme's foundation work into real gains in yields, irrigation and credit.
Agricultural Diversification in India
Agricultural diversification means a farm or a region earning from a wider mix of products instead of depending on one or two crops. It can mean growing pulses, oilseeds, fruits or vegetables along with rice and wheat. It can also mean moving into dairy, poultry, fisheries or food processing. In simple words, it is the farming version of "do not put all your eggs in one basket": it spreads risk and usually raises income.
The Ministry wants PMDDKY districts to move beyond one low-value crop. Diversifying into pulses, high-value crops and allied activities is one of the main ways these districts can raise farm incomes in FY27.
- PMDDKY first-year review: October 12, 2026; FY27 to focus on visible, measurable results
- Coverage: 100 districts; ₹24,000 crore per year for 6 years (2025-26 to 2030-31); no separate budget, drawn from 36 schemes of 11 departments
- Monitoring: 121 indicators; monthly district rankings; 62 of 100 districts below a score of 50
- August 2026 top performers: Gaya (Bihar), Nagaur (Rajasthan), Umaria, Dindori and Sidhi (Madhya Pradesh), Dantewada (Chhattisgarh), Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Chamoli (Uttarakhand), Alirajpur (Madhya Pradesh), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra)
- August 2026 bottom performers: Mamit (Mizoram), South Goa (Goa), Sribhumi (Assam), Kandhamal (Odisha), Tamenglong (Manipur), Nuapada (Odisha), Chitradurga (Karnataka), Kozhikode (Kerala), Dima Hasao (Assam), Mon (Nagaland)
- One Central Nodal Officer per district
- Khet Bachao Abhiyan (soil health campaign): October 22 to November 30, 2026, in all states