Appointment of Central Nodal Officers (CNOs) for Reviewing and Monitoring Aspirational Agricultural Districts under the Prime Minister Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY)
On 16th July 2025, the Union Cabinet approved the development of 100 Aspirational Agricultural Districts under the Prime Minister Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) for a period of six years, commencing from 2025–26. These districts have been identified based on low agricultural productivity, moderate crop intensity, and below-average credit parameters.
The scheme draws inspiration from the NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme and is scheduled for formal launch in October 2025. Further details regarding the launch will be communicated separately.
The objectives of PMDDKY are to:
Enhance agricultural productivity.
Promote crop diversification and sustainable farming practices.
Strengthen post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block levels.
Improve irrigation infrastructure.
Facilitate the availability of both long-term and short-term agricultural credit.
The scheme will address gaps in selected districts through convergence of existing schemes of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW), allied Ministries/Departments, and in close partnership with States.
For effective planning, implementation, and monitoring, committees will be constituted at the District, State, and National levels.
The District Committee will play the lead role by preparing district action plans in consultation with stakeholders and overseeing the implementation of the scheme.
To monitor progress, NITI Aayog is developing a dashboard similar to that used for the Aspirational Districts Programme. Districts will be ranked monthly based on progress and outcomes, with annual delta rankings against defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) (output–outcome based).
To ensure effective implementation, Central Nodal Officers (CNOs) are being appointed for each of the identified districts (as per the enclosed Annexure). These officers will:
Undertake regular field visits.
Review and monitor district performance.
Provide feedback to enable course corrections.
NITI Aayog will organize orientation and training sessions for CNOs to familiarize them with their roles and responsibilities in scheme implementation and monitoring.
