Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called on the farmers to reduce dependency on global markets and work in the direction of Pulses Atmanirbharta Mission (self-reliance mission in Pulses), to ensure that Indian agriculture sector moves beyond wheat and rice. Addressing a gathering at the launch and inauguration of agriculture and allied sector projects worth Rs 42,000 crore, the Prime Minister reiterated his ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat‘ pitch, stating that India must aim to “reduce imports and increase exports without falling behind”.

“Today, the country imports a large quantity of pulses from other countries. This is why the Pulses Atmanirbharta Mission is very important. With an allocation of over Rs 11,000 crore, this mission will greatly help farmers. The goal is to increase pulse cultivation by 35 lakh hectares,” he said, while launching PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana and Dalhan Atmanirbharta Mission in New Delhi.

“Under this mission, the production of toor, urad, and masoor pulses will be increased, and proper arrangements for their purchase will be made. This will directly benefit around 2 crore pulse farmers…” the Prime minister added.

What is PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana?

Explaining to stakeholders about the PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana, the Prime Minister said that the scheme has been designed in such a way that it can be adapted according to the specific needs of each district.

“Therefore, I would like to urge farmers and district heads in advance: at the district level, you need to create action plans that are suitable for the local soil and climate conditions… The success of the PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana will depend entirely on its implementation at the local level,” PM Modi elaborated.

He said the young officials will have a greater role in the mission as they now have an opportunity to make a difference. Exuding confidence on the success of the mission, he said these young officers, working together with farmers, will transform the agricultural landscape of 100 districts.

“I can assure you that once farming improves in a village, the entire village’s economy will change… Today, in India, and especially for people who follow a vegetarian or plant-based diet, protein is very important for nutrition. While other nutrients are also necessary, protein plays a crucial role in the physical and mental development of our children and future generations…” he said.

The PM stressed that it was important for farmers to focus on pulses too to ensure proper supply as per the protein demand in the country, and to export the same.

PM Modi slams Congress for not focusing on agriculture

The Prime Minister also attacked previous Congress government saying they gave subsidies worth Rs 5 crore in 10 years before 2014, while the NDA government, in the last ten years, has provided “fertiliser subsidies exceeding Rs 13 lakh crore”.

“Moreover, the amount the Congress government used to spend on agriculture in a year is less than what the BJP government deposits into the bank accounts of the farmers under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi…” he said.

Comparing the two regimes, PM Modi highlighted that things were expensive when Congress ruled the country. “Earlier, a tractor was taxed Rs 70,000, but after the new GST reforms, it is now around Rs 40,000 cheaper. Similarly, other farming equipment has become more affordable: rice transplanters save Rs 15,000, power tillers Rs 10,000, and threshers up to ₹25,000. Drip and sprinkler irrigation systems and harvesting machinery have also seen significant GST reductions. Fertilizers and pesticides essential for natural farming have become cheaper too…”