Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan holds virtual meeting with Agriculture Ministers of various states

1. At a Glance

• Union Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a virtual review meeting on 24 February 2026 with State Agriculture Ministers on the PM-RKVY (Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana) and Krishonnati Yojana (KY) umbrella schemes [1][5].
• Headline announcements: large-scale government procurement of gram, mustard and lentil in Rabi 2026 under PM-AASHA, and a 2030-31 target for 100% procurement of tur (arhar), urad and lentil from pre-registered farmers under the Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission [1][2][3].
• Importance for UPSC: touches Centre-State fiscal federalism, MSP/PM-AASHA architecture, pulses self-sufficiency, and agriculture CSS rationalisation (GS-II + GS-III).

2. Why in the News

• 24 Feb 2026 virtual meeting where the Minister conducted a State-wise and scheme-wise review of RKVY & Krishi Unnati and pushed 100% fund utilisation by 31 March 2026 [1][5].
• Approval of central procurement of gram (chana), mustard and lentil (masur) in Rabi 2026 under PM-AASHA price support [1][5].
• Reiteration of the "Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission" (Mission Aatmanirbharta in Pulses) targets [2][3].

3. Background & Evolution

• RKVY launched 2007 (11th Plan) as a CSS to incentivise States to enhance public investment in agriculture; later renamed RKVY-RAFTAAR (2017).
• October 2024: Union Cabinet rationalised all agriculture CSS into two umbrella schemes — PM-RKVY (sustainable agriculture) and Krishonnati Yojana / Krishi Unnati Yojana (food security & self-sufficiency); total outlay ₹1,01,321.61 crore (Central share ₹69,088.98 cr; State share ₹32,232.63 cr) [4].
• 2025-26 Union Budget allocation for PM-RKVY: ₹8,500 crore (up from ₹7,150 cr in 2023-24) [4].
• Mission Aatmanirbharta in Pulses announced in Union Budget 2025-26; 6-year mission with ₹11,440 crore outlay [2][3].

4. Core Static Facts

• Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare; Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare (DA&FW) [1][4].
• Umbrella schemes post-rationalisation (2024): PM-RKVY + Krishonnati Yojana — 18 sub-schemes implemented under them [5].
• PM-RKVY focus: sustainable agriculture; Krishonnati Yojana focus: food security/self-sufficiency [4].
• Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission: outlay ₹11,440 crore over 6 years; target raises pulses area from 275 → 310 lakh ha, production from 242 → 350 lakh tonnes, productivity to 1,130 kg/ha by 2030-31 [2].
• Crops for guaranteed procurement by 2030-31: tur (arhar/pigeon pea), urad, lentil (masur) — entire quantity from pre-registered farmers via central nodal agencies (NAFED, NCCF) [1][2].
• Rabi 2026 procurement approved: gram, mustard, lentil under PM-AASHA [1][5].
• States given flexibility to re-allocate funds between components per State priorities [4].
• Deadline directive: 100% utilisation of allocated funds by 31 March 2026 [1][5].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic

• Pulses self-sufficiency reduces import bill (India was world's largest pulses importer; ~₹16,000+ cr/yr historically) [2].
• Assured procurement (MSP+) at scale stabilises farmer income and weans cropping pattern away from paddy/wheat [1].

Administrative / Federal

• CSS rationalisation simplifies 18+ schemes into 2 umbrellas; States get flexibility to redeploy funds — a cooperative federalism lever [4].
• Underspending by States is a recurring bottleneck; Centre's March-end utilisation push reflects classic Q4-rush risk [5].

Environmental

• Pulses are nitrogen-fixing legumes, aiding soil health & reducing fertiliser demand; cluster-based mission promotes crop diversification away from water-intensive paddy [2].

Social / Nutritional

• Pulses = primary protein source for vegetarian poor; self-reliance supports nutritional security (NFSA basket) [2].

Scientific / Technological

• Mission components: seed villages, 1,000 pulse mills, cluster-based production, research-farmer linkages [2].

Governance

• Pre-registration of farmers digitises procurement, enabling DBT and limiting leakages (links to Agri Stack / Farmer ID) [6].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• Oct 2024: Cabinet approved PM-RKVY + Krishonnati Yojana rationalisation (₹1,01,321 cr) [4].
• Feb 2025: Union Budget 2025-26 announced Mission Aatmanirbharta in Pulses [2][3].
• 2025: Launch of Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) focusing on 100 low-productivity districts [3].
• 24 Feb 2026: Virtual review meeting; Rabi 2026 procurement approval; March-end utilisation directive [1][5].
• Subsequent review (PRID 2248036) — follow-up on Farmer ID, fertiliser availability, PM-AASHA implementation [6].

7. Prelims Hooks

• PM-RKVY and Krishonnati Yojana approved by Cabinet in October 2024 as the two umbrella CSS for agriculture [4].
• Total outlay of rationalised CSS: ₹1,01,321.61 crore (Centre ₹69,088.98 cr + States ₹32,232.63 cr) [4].
• PM-RKVY 2025-26 allocation: ₹8,500 crore [4].
• Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission outlay: ₹11,440 crore for 6 years [2].
• Pulses targets by 2030-31: 310 lakh ha area, 350 lakh tonnes production, 1,130 kg/ha productivity [2].
• By 2030-31, entire tur, urad, lentil from pre-registered farmers to be procured [1][2].
• Rabi 2026 procurement under PM-AASHA: gram, mustard, lentil [1].
• PM-AASHA = Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (price support umbrella, 2018) [1].
• NAFED and NCCF are central nodal agencies for pulses procurement [2].
• RKVY launched in 2007; renamed RKVY-RAFTAAR in 2017 [4].
• Krishonnati Yojana focuses on food security/self-sufficiency, PM-RKVY on sustainable agriculture [4].
• Mission components include seed villages and 1,000 pulse mills [2].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III: Agriculture — Issues of buffer stocks & food security; MSP; cropping pattern; pulses; Centre-State scheme financing.
• GS-II: Government policies & interventions; cooperative federalism; CSS rationalisation.

Plausible question stems:

1. "Examine how the Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission addresses India's structural dependence on pulses imports. (15 marks)"
2. "Rationalisation of agriculture CSS into PM-RKVY and Krishonnati Yojana reflects evolving cooperative federalism. Discuss. (10 marks)"
3. "Assured procurement under PM-AASHA can distort cropping choices as much as MSP for paddy/wheat. Critically analyse. (15 marks)"

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• PM-AASHA (Price Support, PDPS, Market Intervention) — directly enables the procurement announced.
• MSP mechanism & CACP — determines procurement prices.
• Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojama (PMDDKY) — sister scheme for 100 districts.
• Agri Stack / Farmer ID — backbone for "pre-registered farmer" procurement.
• NAFED & NCCF — procurement agencies.
• National Food Security Mission (NFSM-Pulses) — predecessor pulses programme.
• Cropping pattern & paddy-wheat over-dependence — context for diversification.
• CSS Rationalisation / 15th FC recommendations — fiscal federalism angle.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• PM-RKVY ≠ RKVY-RAFTAAR: the 2024 Cabinet decision renamed and restructured RKVY into PM-RKVY (umbrella); don't treat them as separate schemes.
• Krishonnati Yojana vs Krishi Unnati Yojana: used interchangeably in PIB; KY is the new umbrella covering NFSM, NMOOP-Oilseeds, SMAM etc.
• Mission name confusion: "Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission" = "Mission Aatmanirbharta in Pulses" (Budget 2025-26).
• Crops for 100% procurement by 2030-31 are tur, urad, lentil — NOT gram/chana (chana is already a major procured pulse).
• Ministry pairing: Shivraj Singh Chouhan holds both Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development portfolios — questions sometimes ask the wrong one.
• PM-AASHA launched in 2018, not under the present government's second term.