Nagaur Tops the Country in Crop Diversification and Sustainable Farming Under Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana
Scheme Advances Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision, Boosting Farm Productivity and Farmers’ Prosperity
Jaipur, October 2026: A nation can progress towards greater prosperity only when its farmers are prosperous, and farmers’ well-being depends largely on successful crop production. Guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, the government is taking concrete steps to strengthen agriculture and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
The Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana is an important initiative towards achieving this objective, with special efforts being undertaken under the leadership of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. Of the 100 districts selected across the country under the scheme, eight are from Rajasthan. Nagaur district has delivered an outstanding performance, securing the first position nationally in a key agricultural category.
Nagaur Emerges as the Best-Performing District
The Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana has six key objectives, covering areas ranging from agricultural credit and increased crop production to storage infrastructure.
Nagaur has emerged as the country's leading district in promoting crop diversification and sustainable farming practices, scoring 18.44 points. The district has also secured fourth place nationally in improving post-harvest storage capacity and ensuring better access to long-term agricultural loans for farmers.
In addition, Nagaur ranks fifth in enhancing agricultural productivity and improving governance and service delivery. Pali district has secured eighth place nationally for improvements in irrigation infrastructure.
Rajasthan Makes a Strong Showing in National Rankings
Across the 100 aspirational districts selected under the scheme, 36 programmes implemented by 11 departments are being used to increase agricultural productivity, expand irrigation facilities, promote crop diversification, strengthen storage capacity and improve access to agricultural credit.
Rajasthan has performed well in the overall assessment of the scheme's objectives and programmes. Nagaur has secured the second position nationally with 84.13 points, while Pali has ranked 11th.
These rankings reflect the state's efforts to improve agricultural infrastructure, promote sustainable practices and strengthen the support available to farmers.
Jaisalmer Initiative Earns National Recognition
The districts selected under the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana were identified on the basis of three key indicators: low agricultural productivity, low cropping intensity and limited access to agricultural credit.
An initiative in Jaisalmer has received national appreciation for cultivating cumin on 2,000 acres using Integrated Pest Management practices and deploying solar-powered sprinkler irrigation across 500 acres.
The initiative promotes efficient water use, renewable energy and improved agricultural productivity, offering a sustainable model for farming in areas facing resource constraints.
Under the scheme, crop diversification is emerging as an important means of improving farmers' prosperity, conserving natural resources and supporting the long-term development of agriculture. Diversification helps farmers reduce their exposure to market price fluctuations and crop-related risks while creating opportunities to improve their incomes.
Increasing the production of nutritious crops such as millets and pulses also strengthens nutritional security.
36 Schemes Working Together to Benefit Farmers
The Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana brings together 36 schemes implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, other central ministries, NITI Aayog, NABARD and state governments.
The programmes include the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, PM-Kisan Maandhan Yojana, PM-KUSUM, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Krishonnati Yojana, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, National Food Security Mission and National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture.
Other initiatives include the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Atal Bhujal Yojana, Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Dairy Development Programme, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies and the Kisan Credit Card scheme.
By bringing these programmes together, the initiative seeks to address multiple agricultural challenges in a coordinated manner, from improving productivity and irrigation to expanding credit availability, strengthening storage and supporting allied sectors.
Monitoring and Rankings to Ensure Effective Implementation
Committees have been established to ensure effective implementation and monitoring of the schemes. At the district level, the committees are headed by the respective Collectors, while state-level committees function under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary.
At the national level, the scheme is overseen by a National Executive Committee chaired by the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and a National Monitoring Committee headed by the Secretary.
NITI Aayog has also developed a portal to track district performance through monthly rankings.
Continuous monitoring and performance-based rankings are helping aspirational districts improve their implementation and deliver better outcomes. The initiative is expected to contribute to broader agricultural development by raising productivity, improving farmers' incomes and creating new employment opportunities at the local level.
Overall, the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana is emerging as a significant step towards making India self-reliant in agriculture while promoting sustainable farming and greater prosperity for farmers.
