Jaipur, Oct 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana and the Pulses Self-Reliance Mission at a special agricultural programme held at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi, on Saturday. The Prime Minister gifted the nation two landmark initiatives — the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana with an outlay of Rs 24,000 crore and the Pulses Self-Reliance Mission with an outlay of Rs 11,440 crore.

On this occasion, he also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several projects in the agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, and food processing sectors. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma joined the programme via video conferencing and listened to the Prime Minister’s address. Addressing a state-level programme held at the State Agricultural Management Institute, Durgapura, the Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Modi has ushered in a new era in the country’s agricultural system through visionary schemes such as the Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana and the Pulses Mission.

“These initiatives will not only increase production but also make farming self-reliant, technology-driven, and sustainable,” he said. With these schemes, farmers will move beyond traditional agriculture and open a new chapter of prosperity through modern technology, scientific methods, and better market linkages.

The Chief Minister emphasised that empowering farmers is essential to making India self-reliant and prosperous. CM Sharma said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, concrete steps have been taken to double farmers’ income.

Financial assistance is being directly transferred to crores of farmers under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, ensuring transparency through a robust digital system.

He added that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is protecting farmers against losses caused by natural calamities, while initiatives like Soil Health Cards, Neem-coated Urea, and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana have given new direction to Indian agriculture.

The Chief Minister said that 100 agricultural districts across the country have been selected under the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana, based on parameters such as low productivity, moderate cropping intensity, and below-average credit access.

Out of these, eight districts of Rajasthan — Barmer, Jaisalmer, Nagaur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Pali, Jalore, and Churu — have been included in the scheme.

The initiative aims to increase productivity, promote crop diversification, improve irrigation facilities, enhance storage capacity, and provide easy credit to farmers.

To achieve this, 11 departments including Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy, Fisheries, Cooperatives, Food Processing, Rural Development, and Water Resources have been integrated under one framework. Sharma stated that the primary objective of the scheme is to expand irrigation coverage and fulfill the Prime Minister’s vision of “Har Khet Ko Pani” (Water for Every Farm).

Small and marginal farmers will gain access to micro-irrigation systems such as drip and sprinklers, while traditional reservoirs will be revived. So far, micro-irrigation systems have been installed on approximately 2.3 million hectares in Rajasthan, and efforts are underway to expand them to all irrigated areas.

The Chief Minister said that 35,368 farm ponds have been constructed for rainwater harvesting with a grant of about Rs 307 crore.

Additionally, 7,903 wells and 98,753 pipeline units have been developed in various districts at a cost of Rs 400 crore. Under the Ram Jal Setu Link Project, work is progressing rapidly on projects such as Parvati, Kali Sindh, and the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP), which will ensure adequate water for agricultural activities.

Sharma emphasised that productivity can only increase when farmers have access to quality seeds, appropriate technology, and scientific advice. Under this scheme, soil testing will be conducted in every district, and Soil Health Cards will be issued to guide farmers. The Chief Minister informed that 1.4 million Soil Health Cards have already been issued in Rajasthan.

Warehouses, cold storage units, silos, and packaging centers will be developed at the Panchayat and Block levels to support storage and marketing.

He added that the state government has provided Rs 546 crore in subsidies to over 97,000 farmers for purchasing agricultural equipment. Under the Micro Food Processing Scheme, farmers are being enabled to process their produce locally and supply it directly to the market.

The Chief Minister said that through the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, long-term loans and financial support are being provided for rural infrastructure development.

So far, Rs 5,965 crore has been paid as compensation to insured farmers under various crop insurance schemes, helping them recover from agricultural losses.

–IANS

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