When policies are shaped by ground realities and all government departments work together in one direction, no district can be left behind in the race for development. This is the hallmark of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s model of good governance, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday. He was addressing the national conference on the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium in the Pusa campus, New Delhi. Addressing district collectors, scientists and senior policymakers from more than 50 districts across the country, Shri Chouhan extended his greetings on the auspicious occasion of Navratri and felicitated districts that had demonstrated outstanding performance. He urged officials to devote their full energy to realising Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed and prosperous India.
Districts at the Centre of Agricultural Planning
Emphasising the importance of localised planning, Chouhan said the framework for the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana had been prepared by district collectors based on actual ground conditions rather than being drawn up in offices in Delhi. He stressed the need for regular monthly reviews, asking collectors to assess progress on their district agricultural action plans every month along with their teams. Where progress is slow, coordinated efforts across departments should be intensified to accelerate implementation. Highlighting the importance of inter-ministerial convergence, Shri Chouhan said farmers’ incomes could be increased manifold by bringing together the efforts of different ministries and institutions. These include the Ministry of Jal Shakti for water management; the Ministry of Food Processing Industries for processing and value addition; the Ministry of Cooperation and Farmer Producer Organisations for strengthening collective efforts; and the sectors of animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries, MSMEs and skill development. He also emphasised the need to strengthen the direct connection between agricultural research and farmers. Research conducted by nearly 16,000 scientists associated with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, along with the work of Krishi Vigyan Kendras, the Agricultural Technology Management Agency and agricultural universities, should reach farmers’ fields directly.
Focus on Low Productivity, Rice Fallow Areas and Credit Flow
Shri Chouhan said PMDDKY prioritises 100 districts that have lagged in agricultural productivity, have low cropping intensity or face inadequate institutional credit flow. He directed officials to promote pulses and oilseeds in rice fallow areas, where fields remain uncultivated after paddy harvesting, through a mission-mode approach. Expanding cultivation in these areas would help improve land utilisation and agricultural output. He also called for wider coverage of the Kisan Credit Card scheme and a faster flow of institutional credit, particularly in eastern India and underdeveloped districts. Farmers need access to capital to adopt advanced agricultural technologies and use better seeds and fertilisers, he said.
Chouhan Calls on Officials to Work with Determination
Motivating officials to pursue ambitious development goals, Shri Chouhan quoted the well-known lines: “Who says a hole cannot be made in the sky? Just throw a stone with conviction, my friends…” Encouraging district collectors to approach their responsibilities with determination, he shared the following lines:
If you wish, you can break mountains and hills;
If you wish, you can change the course of rivers;
If you wish, you can extract nectar from the soil;
If you wish, you can connect the earth with the sky!
Shri Chouhan said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had pledged from the ramparts of the Red Fort, during his third term, to work with three times the speed and strength. The agriculture and rural development machinery would put its full capabilities behind fulfilling this commitment, he said. Expressing confidence in the progress of the participating districts, Chouhan said competition would intensify ahead of the next review meeting, with several more districts expected to earn recognition for their outstanding work.
Districts Showcase Ground-Level Innovations and Success Stories
The conference recognised the best-performing districts for their exemplary work. District collectors also presented case studies highlighting innovative approaches to improving agricultural productivity, strengthening resilience and increasing farmers’ incomes.
Gadchiroli, Maharashtra: Through water conservation and drought management, the district transformed drought-affected areas into greener landscapes and achieved new milestones in agricultural production.
Alluri Sitharama Raju, Andhra Pradesh: In a low-rainfall region, the district promoted high-value horticultural crops requiring less water, resulting in a significant increase in farmers’ incomes.
Banka, Bihar: The district presented its Lilawaran Natural Farming Land Revival Model, which seeks to end dependence on chemical fertilisers and establish a new wave of natural farming.
Agricultural innovations undertaken by Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir, Korba in Chhattisgarh and Fazilka in Punjab were also widely appreciated.
The national conference was attended by Union Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Ram Nath Thakur and Shri Bhagirath Choudhary; Union Minister of State for Rural Development Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani; and Union Minister of State Krishan Pal Gurjar. Officials and representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Jal Shakti and Rural Development also participated.
Senior officials present included Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra; Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Naresh Pal Gangwar; Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Avinash Joshi; Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Dilip Kumar; Rural Development Secretary Rohit Kansal; Water Resources Secretary Archana Verma; and ICAR Director General and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Dr M. L. Jat. Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Maninder Kaur Dwivedi was also present. Agriculture production commissioners and principal secretaries from various states, district collectors from more than 50 districts, and senior field officials from the Centre and state governments participated in the deliberations.