PMDDKY draws inspiration from NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme (ADP) and first of its kind focusing exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors.
- ADP (2018) was launched in the country’s 112 most underdeveloped districts, with the aim of transforming them quickly and effectively.
Key Features of the Scheme
- Duration: Six years (starting 2025-26).
- Coverage: Target 100 districts.
- Sector Focus: Exclusively designed to enhance agricultural and allied sectors in underperforming districts.
- Implementation Strategy:
- Convergence:36 existing schemes across 11 Departments, other State schemes and local partnerships with the private sector.
- Identification of Districts Based: Low productivity, low cropping intensity, and less credit disbursement.
- The number of districts in each state/UT will be based on the share of Net Cropped Area and operational holdings.
- However, a minimum of 1 district will be selected from each state.
Governance & Monitoring
- Committees will be formed at District, State and National level for effective planning, implementation and monitoring.
- Each district will have a dedicated plan developed by the District Dhan-Dhaanya Samiti, which will include progressive farmers.
- The District Plans will align with national goals of crop diversification, water and soil conservation, self-sufficiency in agriculture, and the expansion of natural & organic farming.
- Monitoring:
- Progress of the Scheme in each Dhan-Dhaanya district will be monitored on 117 key Performance Indicators.
- NITI Aayog will review and guide the district plans.