Lucknow: The Union Budget 2025-26 has placed a significant emphasis on agriculture, recognizing it as a vital engine for India’s economic growth and development. With a focus on boosting agricultural productivity, improving rural prosperity, and ensuring sustainability, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a series of transformative initiatives designed to uplift the farming sector and rural communities. The Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana is one of the key highlights, aiming to enhance productivity in 100 districts with low crop yield through crop diversification, improved irrigation, and better access to credit. The budget also introduces a comprehensive Rural Prosperity and Resilience Programme, targeting skill development, investment, and technology adoption to tackle underemployment in agriculture, especially among marginalized groups.
Additionally, a six-year Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses is set to make India self-reliant in pulse production, while a focused programme on vegetables and fruits aims to improve supply chains and ensure better prices for farmers. To support financial inclusion, Public Sector Banks will also develop a “Grameen Credit Score” to meet the credit needs of rural populations. These initiatives underscore the government’s commitment to enhancing the livelihoods of farmers, invigorating rural economies, and securing the future of India’s agriculture sector.
The Union Budget 2025-26 has introduced several key initiatives aimed at strengthening agricultural productivity and rural prosperity. Some of the standout measures include:
- Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana: Aimed at improving agricultural productivity in 100 low productivity districts, this program will help 1.7 crore farmers by focusing on crop diversification, sustainable agriculture, better irrigation, and enhanced credit access.
- Rural Prosperity and Resilience Programme: This initiative seeks to address under-employment in agriculture through skilling, investment, and technology. It will particularly focus on empowering rural women, young farmers, and marginal farmers, and generating employment opportunities in rural areas.
- Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses: A six-year mission focusing on pulses like Tur, Urad, and Masoor, aimed at making India self-reliant in pulses. The program will focus on developing climate-resilient seeds, improving productivity, and ensuring remunerative prices for farmers.
- Comprehensive Programme for Vegetables & Fruits: This initiative will promote the production, efficient supply chains, processing, and better market prices for vegetables and fruits, in collaboration with states and farmer producer organizations.
- Grameen Credit Score: Public Sector Banks will develop a “Grameen Credit Score” framework to meet the credit needs of Self-Help Group (SHG) members and rural populations, further improving financial inclusion in rural areas.
These measures aim to foster sustainable agricultural growth, improve the rural economy, and ensure better livelihoods for farmers and rural communities across India.
