Agriculture Schemes in India, Features, Benefits, Eligibility

Agriculture and Allied Sectors is the backbone of India’s economy acting as the primary source of livelihood for many and contributing highly to India’s GDP. This sector includes crop production, horticulture, livestock, fisheries, and forestry, and plays an important role in providing food security, generating employment, and fostering rural development. Apart from economic contributions, agriculture supports social stability and poverty alleviation, especially among small and marginal farmers who form the majority of India’s farming community. Recognizing the strategic importance of this sector, the Government of India has launched many schemes and initiatives with the goal of modernizing agricultural practices, improving productivity, ensuring sustainability, and enhancing farmers’ income. In this article, we are going to cover the Agriculture and Allied Sector of India and the different schemes launched to support this sector. 

Agriculture Schemes & Allied Sector in India

The Agriculture and Allied Sector in India is diverse, including traditional farming practices as well as complementary activities like horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries, and forestry. These activities not only generate income but also improve nutritional security, promote sustainable livelihoods, and support rural economies. The sector’s contributions include:

• Food Security: Ensuring availability and accessibility of essential food grains and other agricultural produce for the growing population.
• Employment Generation: Providing direct and indirect employment, especially in rural areas where agriculture is the primary occupation.
• Rural Development: Encouraging entrepreneurship, improving infrastructure, and creating opportunities for allied industries.
• Income Support: Supplementing farmer incomes through modern techniques, subsidies, insurance, and income-support programs.

The government’s interventions are focused on addressing structural challenges, including low productivity, water scarcity, fragmented land holdings, post-harvest losses, and market inefficiencies. These schemes also encourage diversification into allied activities like horticulture, fisheries, and animal husbandry to make farming more sustainable and profitable.

Agriculture Schemes & Allied Sector

The Government of India has launched a number of schemes in order to support the Agriculture and Allied Sector of India and the economy: 

‹ ›

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), 2015

PMKSY aims to improve irrigation coverage under the motto “Har Khet Ko Pani” and promote efficient water use through the principle of “More Crop per Drop.” Water conservation and management is the main focus of this scheme, which seeks an end-to-end solution related to water source creation, distribution, management, and field-level application. Features include: 

• Combines earlier schemes like the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), and On-Farm Water Management (OFWM).
• Overseen by the Inter-Ministerial National Steering Committee (NSC) and the National Executive Committee (NEC) under NITI Aayog.
• Establishes a Long-term Irrigation Fund under NABARD to fast-track pending major and medium irrigation projects.
• Implements water budgeting for agriculture, households, and industries to ensure efficient allocation.

PMKSY Objectives:

• Promote investment convergence in irrigation projects at the field level.
• Improve aquifer recharge and encourage sustainable water practices.
• Explore the use of treated municipal wastewater for peri-urban agriculture.
• Attract private investment and promote water management awareness among farmers and field-level workers.

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana-Raftaar (RKVY-RAFTAAR), 2007

The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana scheme was started to provide the holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors, giving states flexibility to plan according to local agro-climatic conditions. In 2017, it was restructured as RKVY-RAFTAAR to focus on pre- and post-harvest infrastructure, promote agri-entrepreneurship, and support innovations. Features include: 

• Decentralized planning through District and State Agriculture Plans.
• Incentivizes states to increase allocation for agriculture and allied sectors.
• Promotes private investment and post-harvest infrastructure development.
• Fund allocation: 60:40 between Centre and states; 90:10 for North Eastern and Himalayan states.

RKVY Objectives include:

• Make farming a remunerative economic activity.
• Promote agribusiness entrepreneurship and youth skill development.
• Address national priorities through sub-schemes supporting innovation and technology adoption.

National Food Security Mission (NFSM), 2007

The National Food Security Mission was launched to overcome stagnating food grain production and rising consumption needs. The NFSM focuses on increasing the production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals, and commercial crops.

NFSM Salient Features:

• Bridges the yield gap by disseminating improved technologies and farm practices.
• Prioritizes districts with high potential but relatively low productivity.
• Components include separate missions for rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals, and commercial crops.

NFSM Objectives:

• Increase crop production by expanding cultivated area and improving yield.
• Rejuvenate soil fertility and productivity on individual farms.
• Enhance farmers’ economic conditions sustainably.

National Horticulture Mission (NHM), 2005

The National Horticulture Mission was designed to promote the development of the horticulture sector using region-specific strategies. It was later integrated into the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).

NHM Objectives:

• Boost horticulture production and enhance nutritional security.
• Harmonize and integrate existing horticulture programs for better implementation.
• Promote technology transfer and combine traditional knowledge with scientific practices.
• Generate employment opportunities, particularly for rural youth and unskilled workers.

Soil Health Card Scheme, 2015

The Soil Health Card Scheme provides farmers with information on the nutrient status of their soil and customized recommendations for fertilizers and amendments.

Salient Features include: 

• Implemented across all states and union territories.
• Provides crop-wise recommendations for each farm based on soil testing.
• Assesses 12 soil parameters including macronutrients (N, P, K), secondary nutrients (S), micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo), and physical parameters (pH, EC, OC).

Soil Health Cards Scheme Objectives:

• Issue soil health cards to all farmers every three years to address nutrient deficiencies.
• Strengthen Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) and promote collaboration with ICAR and State Agricultural Universities.
• Build capacity among district- and state-level staff as well as progressive farmers to adopt nutrient management practices.

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), 2016

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a government-sponsored crop insurance scheme that combines farmers, insurance companies, banks, and the government on a single platform. The goal is to provide risk coverage to farmers against crop loss due to natural disasters, pests, and diseases, thereby stabilizing income and sustaining agricultural activities. Features Include:

• PMFBY replaced all other crop insurance schemes except the Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), which compensates farmers for crop loss based on weather parameters.
• Farmers pay a nominal premium: 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for horticultural crops.
• Government subsidies have no upper limit; farmers can claim the full insured sum without deductions.
• The difference between the actuarial premium and the farmers’ contribution is equally shared by the central and state governments.
• The scheme is optional for both loanee farmers (taking crop loans) and non-loanee farmers for notified crops in designated areas.
• It covers non-preventable risks like natural fires, lightning, storms, hailstorms, cyclones, typhoons, tempests, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, inundation, landslides, droughts, dry spells, pests, diseases, and post-harvest losses.
• Technology integration, including smartphones, drones, and remote sensing, facilitates efficient claims processing and minimizes dependence on manual crop-cutting experiments.
  

PMFBY Objectives includes:

• Provides insurance coverage and financial assistance to farmers impacted by natural disasters, pests, and diseases.
• Stabilize farm income, encouraging continuous agricultural engagement and adoption of modern practices.
• Ensure availability of credit in the agricultural sector.
• Benefit all farmers, including sharecroppers and tenant farmers, growing notified crops in designated areas.

Kisan Rath App

The Kisan Rath App was launched by the Government of India to complement agricultural logistics, as a platform connecting farmers, farmer producer organizations (FPOs), and logistics service providers. The app facilitates the transportation of agricultural and horticultural produce from farm gates to markets, warehouses, processing units, railway stations, airports, and retail centers. The platform helps reduce post-harvest losses, improve supply chain efficiency, and enhance farmer income by ensuring timely market access.

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), 2014

The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) focuses on improving agricultural productivity in rainfed areas while promoting climate-resilient and resource-efficient farming practices.

Features include:

• Promotes Integrated Farming Systems combining crops, livestock, and horticulture for improved productivity and sustainability.
• Encourages efficient water management to increase crop output per unit of water (“More Crop Per Drop”).
• Implements soil health management based on soil fertility maps and optimal fertilizer use.
• Builds capacities of farmers, extension workers, and stakeholders to adopt climate-resilient practices.
• Coordinates with other missions like the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA).
• Pilot models are tested using resources from MGNREGS, IWMP, and RKVY to improve rainfed farming productivity.

NMSA Objectives include:

• Promote location-specific integrated farming that is productive, sustainable, and climate-resilient.
• Conserve natural resources through efficient soil and moisture management.
• Improve water-use efficiency and expand coverage of irrigation and rainwater harvesting.
• Strengthen institutional coordination and resource utilization under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), 2015

The Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) is a flagship scheme under the Soil Health Management (SHM) component of NMSA, promoting organic farming through a cluster-based approach.

Salient Features:

• Farmers form clusters of 50 or more, covering at least 50 acres per cluster.
• Aims to create 10,000 clusters covering 5 lakh acres in three years.
• Provides Rs. 20,000 per acre over three years for seeds, crop harvesting, and transportation to markets.
• Farmers are not liable for certification costs, and organic produce is linked to market channels.
• Emphasizes traditional resource use, organic input production, and market linkage for certified organic products.

PKVY Objectives:

• Promote commercial organic production and pesticide-free produce.
• Improve consumer health and increase domestic organic product certification.
• Increase farmer income and generate market opportunities for traders.
• Encourage sustainable natural resource management by farmers.

PKVY Components:

• Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification via cluster formation, training, and quality control.
• Adoption of organic villages for manure management and biological nitrogen harvesting.
• Branding, packaging, and marketing support for organic products.

PKVY Beneficiaries:

• Organic farmers, especially in North Eastern states like Sikkim.
• Food processing industries and organic export sectors.

e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), 2016

The e-NAM Portal connects existing Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.

e-Nam Features include:

• Implemented by the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC).
• Provides a single-window service for APMC information, commodity arrivals, prices, trade offers, and transactions.
• Grants up to Rs. 30 lakh per mandi for infrastructure upgrades.
• Features include mobile apps, BHIM payments, MIS dashboards, grievance redressal mechanisms, and integration with farmer databases.
• Funded via the Agrotech Infrastructure Fund (AITF).

e-NAM Objectives:

• Increase commodity trading and trader participation.
• Promote inter-mandi trade and cashless transactions.
• Provide soil testing and grading facilities to farmers.
• Improve transparency, accountability, and market efficiency.

e-NAM Beneficiaries:

• Farmers, local traders, bulk buyers, exporters, and the overall economy.

Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), 1974

Krishi Vigyan Kendras are knowledge and resource centers under the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) that show location-specific technologies and link research with extension services.

Features include:

• Funded 100% by the Government of India and sanctioned to Agricultural Universities, ICAR institutes, government departments, and NGOs.
• 645 KVKs are operational, with 106 more in the pipeline.
• Focus on skill development of rural youth, farm women, and farmers.
• Provide technological inputs such as seeds, planting materials, and bio-products.
• Advise on climate-resilient technologies and enterprise development.

KVK’s Objectives:

• Serve as frontline agricultural extension centers.
• Build capacity and demonstrate technology adoption.
• Bridge the gap between research, extension, and farmers’ needs.

Price Stabilization Fund (PSF), 2014

The Price Stabilization Fund was created to manage price volatility of agri-horticultural commodities like onions, potatoes, and pulses.

Salient Features:

• Supports market interventions for price control and procurement.
• Initially focused on onions and potatoes; later expanded to pulses.
• Losses shared between the Centre and State Governments.
• Provides interest-free loans for procurement and distribution of commodities.
• Managed centrally by the Price Stabilization Fund Management Committee (PSFMC).

PSF Objectives:

• Protect farmers’ interests when market prices fall below thresholds.
• Ensure affordable prices for consumers while stabilizing farmers’ income.

Umbrella Scheme: Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana, 2016

This umbrella scheme consolidates many agricultural programs to ensure holistic development.

The schemes included are: 

• Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
• National Mission on Oil Seeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)
• National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
• Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
• Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP)
• Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)
• Sub-Mission on Plant Protection & Quarantine (SMPPQ)
• Integrated Scheme on Agriculture Census, Economics and Statistics (ISACES)
• Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation (ISAC)
• Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Marketing (ISAM)
• National e-Governance Plan (NeGP-A)

Focus Areas:

• Improve production and productivity.
• Reduce input costs.
• Strengthen market infrastructure and marketing linkages.

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), 2018

PM-AASHA makes sure farmers receive remunerative prices for their crops via a combination of procurement and price deficiency mechanisms.

Components:

• Price Support Scheme (PSS): Physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds, and copra through central and state agencies.
• Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS): Covers all oilseeds; farmers receive the difference between MSP and market price directly into bank accounts.
• Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS): Pilots private sector participation in MSP-based procurement.

PM-AASHA Objectives:

• Provides remunerative prices and enhances farmer income.
• Support procurement operations efficiently with active state government coordination.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY), 2019

PM-KMY provides a pension of Rs. 3,000/month to small and marginal farmers (up to 2 hectares of land) on reaching 60 years of age.

Salient Features:

• Voluntary, contributory pension scheme for farmers aged 18-40.
• Monthly contributions: Rs. 55–200 based on entry age; matched equally by the Central Government.
• Aims to provide social security to small farmers lacking savings or alternative income.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), 2018

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi provides income support of Rs. 6,000/year to all land-holding farmer families in three equal installments.

Salient Features:

• Covers all farmers regardless of landholding size.
• Family definition: husband, wife, and minor children.
• State/UT governments identify eligible families; funds transferred directly to bank accounts.
• Dedicated PM Kisan portal ensures transparency and streamlined operations.

PM-Kisan Objectives:

• Supplement farmers’ financial needs for inputs and crop management.
• Stabilize farm income and improve agricultural productivity.