New Delhi, 2 February 2025: The Union Budget has earmarked ₹2.03 lakh crore for the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana, reinforcing the government’s focus on food security and rural prosperity, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced.
The scheme, which procures food grains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and maintains buffer stock, aligns with the budget’s emphasis on garib (poor), youth, annadata (farmers), and nari (women), she said.
The allocation will be used to procure 775 lakh metric tons (LMT) of paddy, 265 LMT of wheat, and 8.74 LMT of coarse grains, benefiting over 1.35 crore farmers. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) payouts under this will exceed ₹2 lakh crore.
Sitharaman also announced a six-year mission to boost the production of pulses, including tur, urad, and masoor, with a focus on climate-resilient seeds, protein content, productivity, post-harvest storage, and fair returns to farmers.
Inspired by the Aspirational Districts Programme, the government will launch the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, targeting 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity, and below-average credit access.
“This initiative, in collaboration with states, will help 1.7 crore farmers by improving agricultural productivity, promoting crop diversification, expanding post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block level, enhancing irrigation, and ensuring better access to credit,” Sitharaman said.
