New Delhi, Oct 11 (UNI) Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PM-DDKY) and the Mission for Aatmanirbharta (Self-Reliance) in Pulses launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will bring innovation and development to transform agricultural districts across the country, union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh said today.
Singh said the PM-DDKY reflects the Prime Minister's vision to increase farmers' income, strengthen rural economies, and make fisheries, animal husbandry, and dairy key pillars of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India).
The Minister highlighted that since the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying was formed in 2019, these sectors have received focused policy support and rapid development. Today, over 10 crore people earn their livelihoods from these sectors, with women making up more than 70 percent of the dairy workforce — a strong sign of women's empowerment in rural India.
Thanks to schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Fisheries Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), modern infrastructure like fishing harbours, hatcheries, feed mills, and cold chains have been developed. India now ranks second in the world in fish production, which has nearly doubled from 96 lakh tonnes in 2013–14 to 195 lakh tonnes in 2024–25, he noted.
In dairy and animal husbandry, milk production has increased by 63 percent, from 146 million tonnes in 2014–15 to 239 million tonnes in 2024–25, making India the top milk producer globally. Productivity of cattle and buffaloes has also risen by over 25 percent, the fastest growth worldwide. Extensive vaccination drives have helped control diseases, further boosting milk exports, said the Minister.
The Prime Minister had also inaugurated 16 major projects worth Rs 947 crore and laid the foundation stone for a key project worth Rs 219 crore in the animal husbandry sector. For the fisheries sector, he laid the foundation stone for seven new projects worth Rs 572 crore and inaugurated nine projects worth Rs 121 crore. UNI AJ SS