Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviews India's agricultural development schemes

Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has reviewed the progress of several key agricultural initiatives in India, including the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PM-DDKY) and the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF).

PM-DDKY is designed to accelerate development in 100 districts identified by low agricultural productivity, low cropping intensity, and low agricultural credit disbursement. The scheme aims to increase productivity, promote crop diversification, enhance post-harvest storage, and improve irrigation infrastructure.

Regarding the National Mission on Natural Farming, the government has set a target to expand participation from the current 2.4 million farmers to 8.5 million by 2030. Minister Chouhan emphasized that natural farming should serve as a tool to increase farmer income and reduce costs. He has directed officials to conduct scientific assessments to compare productivity, production costs, and net income between natural and conventional farming methods.