UPSC Mains
GS Paper III
Agriculture & Government Schemes
Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses Completes One Year
The Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses completed its first year on 11 October 2026, with an outlay of ₹11,440 crore for 2025-26 to 2030-31 and the aim of making India self-sufficient in pulses by 2030-31
MISSION OUTLAY (2025-26 TO 2030-31)
₹11,440 crore
PULSE PRODUCTION (2025-26)
274.09 lakh tonnes
SELF-SUFFICIENCY TARGET
2030-31
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Why in News?
- The Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses completed its first year on 11 October 2026.
- The mission has an outlay of ₹11,440 crore for 2025-26 to 2030-31 and aims to make India self-sufficient in pulses by 2030-31.
More on the News
- Pulse production rose to 274.09 lakh tonnes in 2025-26, and yield rose to 957 kg/ha.
- Imports fell by 31.52%, while exports rose by 13.40%.
- Pulse procurement grew from about 18.40 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 to about 31.41 lakh tonnes in 2025-26.
- Of the planned 1,000 pulse processing units, 528 have been allocated to States, and 9.25 lakh seed kits were distributed in Rabi 2025-26.
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Source: PIB
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About the Mission
- India is the world’s largest producer, consumer and importer of pulses.
- Pulses contain 20–25% protein, more than double that of wheat and nearly three times that of rice, which makes them central to nutritional security.
Key Features
- The mission focuses on Tur (Arhar), Urad and Masoor.
- It will distribute 87.5 lakh free seed kits and 126 lakh quintals of certified seeds, with a focus on rice-fallow areas.
- NCCF and NAFED will procure 100% of Tur, Urad and Masoor from registered farmers for four years, from 2025-26 to 2028-29.
- A three-tier steering committee structure monitors the mission at the national, State and district levels.
Digital Tools
- The SATHI portal (Seed Authentication, Traceability and Holistic Inventory) tracks seeds from production to sale.
- Krishi Mapper geo-tags land and tracks demonstrations.
- AgriStack and e-Samriddhi support farmer IDs, direct payments and market information.
MSP Support (2024-25 to 2026-27)
- The MSP for Tur has risen from ₹7,550 to ₹8,450 per quintal.
- The MSP for Urad has risen from ₹7,400 to ₹8,200 per quintal.
- The MSP for Masoor has risen from ₹6,700 to ₹7,000 per quintal.
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Source: PIB
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Significance
- Self-sufficiency would save foreign exchange and insulate consumers from global price shocks.
- Pulses are leguminous and fix atmospheric nitrogen, which improves soil health and reduces fertiliser use.
- Assured procurement at MSP gives farmers the price confidence needed to shift to pulses.
- Higher pulse availability strengthens protein security in a country with high malnutrition.
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Source: PIB
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Challenges
Rainfed Cultivation
Pulses are grown mostly under rainfed conditions, which makes output vulnerable to erratic monsoons.
Low Yields and Seeds
Yields remain well below global averages, and quality seed availability is limited.
Crop Preference
Farmers often prefer rice and wheat, which have more assured procurement and irrigation.
Post-Harvest Losses
Post-harvest losses and weak processing capacity reduce farmers’ returns.
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Source: PIB
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Way Forward
Climate-Resilient Varieties
Climate-resilient, high-yielding varieties should be developed and spread quickly.
Rice-Fallow Lands
Pulses should be promoted in rice-fallow lands, especially in eastern India.
Reliable Procurement
The 100% procurement guarantee should be implemented reliably, with timely payments to farmers.
Processing and Storage
Processing and storage should be expanded through FPOs and the planned dal mills.
Conclusion: The mission’s first year shows gains in output, procurement and import savings. Sustaining them will need climate-resilient seeds, reliable procurement and a real shift of acreage towards pulses.
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Source: PIB
