Content
- PKVY: Nurturing Organic Farming in India
- People’s Plan Campaign: Strengthening Grassroot Governance, Fostering Inclusive Growth
PKVY: Nurturing Organic Farming in India
The Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), launched in 2015, is India’s flagship organic farming scheme aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture, enhancing soil health, and empowering farmers through eco-friendly practices.
Basic Overview
- Full Form: Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
- Launch Year: 2015
- Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
- Objective: Promote organic farming through cluster-based models to improve soil fertility, reduce chemical inputs, and enhance farmer incomes.
- Coverage (2015–2025):
- ₹2,265.86 crore released (as of Jan 2025)
- 15 lakh hectares under organic cultivation
- 52,289 clusters formed
- 25.30 lakh farmer beneficiaries
Relevance :
- GS III – Environment & Agriculture: Promotes sustainable, chemical-free farming; enhances soil fertility and biodiversity; aligns with India’s organic and natural farming goals . Aligns with SDG-2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG-12 (Responsible Consumption and Production); supports climate-resilient and eco-friendly agriculture.
- GS II – Governance: Implements farmer-centric, DBT-based support system ensuring transparency and accountability in scheme execution.
- GS III – Economy & Inclusive Growth: Empowers small and marginal farmers through cluster-based farming, organic certification, and direct market linkages; boosts rural incomes and entrepreneurship.
Core Objectives
- Promote eco-friendly and chemical-free farming.
- Enhance soil health and conserve natural resources.
- Lower input costs and improve farm incomes.
- Provide safe, premium-quality food to consumers.
- Encourage farmer collectives for production, processing, and certification.
- Build entrepreneurship through direct market linkages.
Cluster-Based Farming Model
- Farmers are grouped into clusters of 20 hectares each.
- Ensures uniform standards and resource-sharing.
- Reduces cost of cultivation and drives collective learning.
- Facilitates training on organic inputs, crop diversity, and soil rejuvenation.
Financial Assistance Structure (per hectare for 3 years)
- ₹15,000 for on-farm & off-farm organic inputs (DBT)
- ₹4,500 for marketing, packaging & branding
- ₹3,000 for certification & residue testing
- ₹9,000 for training & capacity building
- Total: ₹31,500 per hectare for 3 years
Implementation Framework
- All small and marginal farmers with landholding up to 2 hectares are eligible.
- Farmers approach Regional Councils for enrolment and certification.
- Annual Action Plans (AAPs) prepared by Councils and approved by the Ministry.
- Fund flow:
- Central Govt → State Govt → Regional Councils → Farmers (via DBT).
- Ensures accountability, transparency, and timely financial assistance.
Organic Certification Systems
1. National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP)
- Third-party certification under Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
- Globally recognized; enables access to export markets.
- Covers production, processing, and trading supply chains.
2. Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India)
- Farmer-led, community-based certification.
- Mutual verification & peer inspection.
- Focused on domestic markets and low-cost certification for smallholders.
3. Large Area Certification (LAC)
- Introduced in 2020–21.
- Targets regions with no prior use of chemicals (tribal belts, islands).
- Fast-tracks certification—reduces conversion time from 2–3 years to a few months.
- Accelerates income generation and market entry for farmers.
Digital Ecosystem: Jaivik Kheti Portal
- Online platform to connect farmers, buyers, and suppliers of organic produce.
- Enables direct farmer-to-consumer transactions.
- As of Dec 2024:
- 6.23 lakh farmers registered
- 19,016 local groups
- 89 input suppliers
- 8,676 buyers
Achievements (2015–2025)
- ₹2,265.86 crore disbursed under PKVY; ₹205.46 crore in FY 2024–25 under RKVY.
- 15 lakh hectares under organic farming; 52,289 clusters established.
- 25.30 lakh farmers benefitted.
- 1.26 lakh hectares continued under PKVY (2023–24); 1.98 lakh hectares new area under conversion (2024–25).
- Success Stories :
- 50,279 ha in Dantewada (Chhattisgarh) and 4,000 ha in West Bengal.
- Car Nicobar & Nancowry Islands: 14,491 ha certified.
- Lakshadweep: Entire 2,700 ha cultivable land certified.
- Sikkim: 60,000 ha fully organic; world’s first 100% organic state.
- Ladakh proposal: 5,000 ha supported with ₹11.475 lakh.
- 9,268 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) formed under related schemes.
Socio-Economic and Environmental Impact
- Strengthened rural livelihoods and income security.
- Promoted soil resilience, water conservation, and biodiversity.
- Enhanced consumer awareness of safe, organic food.
- Integrated digital platforms for traceability and e-commerce.
- Supported Atmanirbhar Bharat and climate-resilient agriculture goals.
Conclusion
PKVY has evolved from a pilot organic cluster initiative into a nationwide sustainable farming ecosystem. By combining traditional wisdom, modern certification, and digital linkages, it has empowered farmers, improved ecological balance, and positioned India as a global leader in organic agriculture. Expansion through LAC and integration with the National Mission on Natural Farming strengthens the pathway toward a self-reliant, environmentally sustainable rural economy.
People’s Plan Campaign: Strengthening Grassroot Governance, Fostering Inclusive Growth
Basics
- Full Name: People’s Plan Campaign (PPC)
- Launch Year: 2018
- Theme: “Sabki Yojana, Sabka Vikas”
- Objective: Annual preparation of participatory Panchayat Development Plans (PDPs) at village, block, and district levels.
- Coverage: Applies to Gram Panchayats, Block Panchayats, and District Panchayats across all States and UTs.
- Scale: Over 18.13 lakh PDPs prepared from FY 2019–20 to FY 2025–26.
Relevance :
- GS II – Polity & Governance: Strengthens grassroots democracy via participatory planning under the 73rd Amendment; institutionalizes decentralized governance at Panchayat level.
- GS II – Social Justice: Ensures inclusion of women, SHGs, and marginalized groups in decision-making through Gram Sabhas and participatory planning.
- GS II – Governance & e-Governance: Promotes transparency and accountability through digital tools like eGramSwaraj, Meri Panchayat App, and Panchayat NIRNAY.
Constitutional & Institutional Background
- Constitutional Basis:
- 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 institutionalized the three-tier Panchayati Raj system.
- Article 243G empowers Panchayats to prepare plans for economic development and social justice.
- Linked to Eleventh Schedule subjects (29 functions such as agriculture, rural roads, drinking water, health, education).
- Importance: Gram Panchayats are the closest governance tier to citizens, addressing basic service delivery, marginalized communities, and conflict resolution.
Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)
- Definition: A plan prepared annually by Gram Panchayats for economic development & social justice.
- Nature: Comprehensive, participatory, transparent, and aligned with community needs & available resources.
- Hierarchy:
- GPDP – Gram Panchayat Development Plan.
- BPDP – Block Panchayat Development Plan.
- DPDP – District Panchayat Development Plan.
- Covers all 29 subjects of Eleventh Schedule, aligned with SDGs through nine thematic groupings.
- Linked with other community-driven plans like Village Prosperity and Resilience Plans (VPRPs) prepared by SHGs.
People’s Plan Campaign — Core Features
- Launch Date: 2 October 2018.
- Purpose: Strengthen people’s participation in local planning.
- Process:
- Structured Gram Sabha meetings with presentations from frontline workers.
- Inclusion of women, SHGs, community-based organizations, elected representatives, and officials.
- Convergence of central/state schemes through Panchayat plans.
- Integration: Incorporates:
- Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) in PDPs.
- Village Prosperity and Resilience Plans (VPRPs) by SHGs.
- Gender-responsive governance participation by Women Elected Representatives (WERs).
PPC 2025–26 Special Focus
- Launch: 2 October 2025 across all States/UTs.
- Preparatory Measures:
- Training of facilitators, appointment of nodal officers, finalization of Gram Sabha schedules, public information displays.
- Virtual consultations with States, UTs, SIRD&PRs.
- Digital Tools:
- eGramSwaraj platform for plan preparation & review.
- Meri Panchayat App & Panchayat NIRNAY for progress tracking.
- SabhaSaar for improving deliberations.
- Guiding Index: Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) for grading and guiding planning quality.
- Key Focus Areas in 2025–26:
- Review unfinished projects, particularly with unspent Central Finance Commission grants.
- Strengthen Own Source Revenue (OSR).
- Tribal empowerment through the Adi Karmayogi Abhiyaan.
Achievements (2019–2025)
- Total PDPs Uploaded: 18.13 lakh.
- Breakdown:
- 17.73 lakh GPDPs.
- 35,755 BPDPs.
- 3,469 DPDPs.
- Impact: Enhanced participatory governance, increased transparency, improved service delivery alignment with SDGs, and stronger local ownership of development.
Conclusion
The People’s Plan Campaign has evolved into a mission-mode grassroots planning exercise that strengthens the democratic process, promotes participatory development, and builds institutional capacity at the Panchayat level. Its alignment with SDGs, integration of digital tools, and focus on inclusivity make it a cornerstone initiative for achieving Viksit Bharat through empowered, accountable, and transparent local governance.
