Key Points:
- Centre announced 100 Aspirational Agriculture Districts under PMDDKY across 29 States & UTs.
- UP leads with 12 districts, followed by Maharashtra (9), MP & Rajasthan (8 each), and Bihar (7).
- Implemented on the lines of the Aspirational Districts Programme.
Criteria for Selection:
- Low agricultural productivity
- Moderate crop intensity
- Below-average access to credit
- Allocation of districts based on net cropped area & number of operational holdings.
Objectives of PMDDKY:
- Enhance agricultural productivity
- Promote crop diversification & sustainable practices
- Improve post-harvest storage at panchayat & block level
- Strengthen irrigation facilities
- Facilitate short-term & long-term agricultural credit
Implementation:
- No separate budget allocation → convergence of 36 schemes from 11 departments.
- Each district to prepare an Agriculture Development Plan.
- 100 Central Nodal Officers appointed (mostly Joint Secretaries) for monitoring.
Why in news?
- The Centre launched PMDDKY with 100 Aspirational Agriculture Districts to boost farm productivity, diversification, and credit access through convergence of schemes.

