The Union government has proposed merging two key centrally sponsored agriculture schemes—Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) and Krishonnati Yojana—into a single umbrella programme aimed at giving states greater flexibility to implement need-based agricultural initiatives.
Minister of State for Agriculture Ramnath Thakur informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare currently runs its centrally sponsored interventions under the two schemes. An Expenditure Finance Commission (EFC) draft for a unified umbrella scheme covering the department’s programmes during the 16th Finance Commission period has already been initiated, he said.
“The draft has been circulated for inter-ministerial consultations,” Thakur noted, adding that the restructuring is intended to enable states to tailor agricultural components according to local requirements.
Following feedback from allied ministries and government think tank NITI Aayog, the EFC note may be revised before final approval. Details regarding the restructuring framework, funding pattern, allocation criteria for states and Union Territories, and performance-linked funding mechanisms will be finalized once the EFC proposal completes the consultation process.
The proposed merger is expected to streamline implementation and improve the effectiveness of central support for agricultural development across states.