Government Approves Two Major Agriculture Schemes with Rs 1 Lakh Crore Investment for Food Security

The Union Cabinet has approved the consolidation of various agricultural schemes into two main programmes: PM Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) and Krishonnati Yojana (KY). This initiative, with a budget exceeding Rs 1 lakh crore, aims to foster sustainable agriculture and secure food supply. The decision was made under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per an official statement.

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Focus on Sustainable Agriculture

The PM-RKVY scheme is designed to encourage sustainable farming practices, while the KY focuses on ensuring food security and agricultural self-reliance. Together, these umbrella schemes will be executed with a proposed expenditure of Rs 1,01,321.61 crore. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlighted this decision on social media platform X, emphasizing the government's commitment to agriculture and farmers.

Financial Allocation and Implementation

Out of the total budget, Rs 69,088.98 crore is allocated for the central share of the Department of Agriculture, and Rs 32,232.63 crore is designated for the states' share. Specifically, Rs 57,074.72 crore is earmarked for RKVY and Rs 44,246.89 crore for KY. A total of 18 schemes are incorporated under these two umbrella programmes, which will be implemented through state governments.

Mission Mode Initiatives

To ensure continuity of existing schemes, certain areas have been prioritized in mission mode. Examples include the National Mission for Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), Clean Plant Program, Digital Agriculture, and National Mission for Edible Oil-Oil Seeds (NMEO-OS). These efforts aim to boost farmers' welfare by addressing specific needs.

The Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER), part of KY, is being enhanced with an additional component called MOVCDNER-Detailed Project Report (MOVCDNER-DPR). This addition provides Northeastern states with flexibility to tackle critical challenges effectively.

Strategic Planning and Flexibility

The rationalisation allows states to create comprehensive strategic documents for their agriculture sectors. These documents will address crop production and productivity while considering climate-resilient agriculture and value chain development. The plans are intended to outline strategies linked with objectives from the strategic framework.

By avoiding duplication and ensuring convergence, this rationalisation provides states with flexibility. It also focuses on emerging agricultural challenges such as nutrition security, sustainability, climate resilience, value chain development, and private sector involvement. States can now develop strategic plans tailored to their agricultural needs.

Annual Action Plans (AAP) can be approved collectively rather than individually for each scheme. This streamlines the approval process and enhances efficiency in implementing agricultural initiatives across states.

In PM-RKVY, state governments have the flexibility to reallocate funds between components based on their specific needs. The PM-RKVY includes schemes like Soil Health Management, Rainfed Area Development, Agro Forestry, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Agricultural Mechanization including Crop Residue Management, Per Drop More Crop, Crop Diversification Programme, RKVY DPR component, and Accelerator Fund for Agri Startups.

This comprehensive approach aims to enhance agricultural productivity while addressing key challenges faced by the sector today.