Bhopal, Jan 29 (IANS) The Economic Survey 2025-26, presented in the Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has underlined the Union government’s mission to double farmers’ income through a combination of productivity improvement, policy reforms, and institutional interventions.

The survey highlights that agriculture continues to contribute nearly one-fifth of India’s national income and remains central to inclusive growth and food security.

A series of mission-mode programmes have been rolled out to achieve these objectives.

The National Food Security Mission, which has been in place since 2007, was renamed in FY25 as the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission to expand its scope.

It now covers rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals, commercial crops, and nutri-cereals, with a focus on productivity enhancement and area expansion.

Alongside, the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oilseeds and the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm are being implemented to achieve self-sufficiency in oilseed production.

These initiatives aim to reach nearly 70 million tonnes of output by 2030-31 through improved varieties, better agricultural practices, private sector participation, and assured procurement.

The Mission for Atmanirbharta in pulses, approved in October 2025, is another key intervention designed to reduce import dependency and achieve self-sufficiency.

The Survey notes that between 2014-15 and 2024-25, the area under oilseeds grew by 18 per cent, production rose by 55 per cent, and productivity increased by 31 per cent.

Domestic edible oil availability has also improved significantly, rising from 86.30 lakh tonnes in 2015-16 to 121.75 lakh tonnes in 2023-24.

This has reduced reliance on imported edible oil from 63.2 per cent in 2015-16 to 56.25 per cent in 2023-24, despite rising demand.

The Union government has also launched the Prime Minister Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, approved in July 2025, to cover 100 aspirational agricultural districts over six years starting FY26.

The scheme is designed to boost productivity, encourage crop diversification, strengthen post-harvest storage, improve irrigation, and expand access to credit at both panchayat and block levels.

Insurance support remains a critical pillar of farm protection.

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has seen a sharp rise in coverage, with 4.19 crore farmers insured in 2024-25, marking a 32 per cent increase over 2022-23.

The scheme covered 6.2 crore hectares, up 20 per cent from the previous year, providing crucial protection against crop losses due to natural calamities, pests, and adverse weather.

–IANS

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