Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses 2026

India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of pulses, yet it relies on imports to meet domestic demand. Pulses provide 20–25% of dietary protein, improve soil fertility through nitrogen fixation, and support millions of farmers.

To reduce import dependence, the Government launched the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (Dalhan Aatmanirbharta Mission) on 11 October, 2025, with an outlay of ₹11,440 crore for 2025–26 to 2030–31. Announced in the Union Budget 2025–26 and approved by the Union Cabinet on 1 October 2025, the mission focuses on boosting production, improving procurement, and strengthening post-harvest infrastructure, particularly for Tur, Urad and Masoor.

What Is the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses?

Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses is a centrally supported agricultural initiative designed to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses by increasing domestic production and strengthening the entire agricultural value chain.

Instead of concentrating only on cultivation, the mission addresses several connected areas, including quality seeds, improved farming practices, assured market access, minimum support prices (MSP), processing facilities, and digital monitoring.

Key Highlights of the Pulses Mission

Why Was the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses Needed?

Despite progress under earlier agricultural programs, including the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission, India continued to face a gap between domestic pulse production and consumption.

Domestic production fluctuates because of irregular rainfall, low productivity in some regions, pest attacks, limited access to quality seeds, and competition from other crops. At the same time, population growth, changing dietary preferences, and greater awareness of protein-rich foods have increased demand.

India imported 47.38 lakh tonnes of pulses in 2023–24, highlighting the need to strengthen domestic supply.

Major Reasons Behind the Pulses Mission

1. Reducing import dependence: Heavy reliance on overseas suppliers exposes India to international price fluctuations, supply disruptions, and foreign exchange expenditure.

2. Improving farmers' incomes: Assured procurement and better access to markets can reduce distress sales and provide greater income security.

3. Meeting nutritional requirements: Pulses are an affordable source of protein, fibre and essential micronutrients, making them important for household food security.

4. Improving soil health: Pulses help fix atmospheric nitrogen through their association with beneficial soil bacteria, supporting soil fertility and more sustainable farming systems.

5. Expanding agricultural diversification: Pulses can be introduced into rice-fallow areas and intercropping systems, allowing farmers to diversify beyond water-intensive or less suitable crops.

The government has set a target of achieving self-reliance in Tur, Urad and Masoor by December 2027, while the broader mission continues through 2030–31.

Objectives of the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses

The mission follows a farmer-centric and value-chain-based approach. Its main objectives are:

• Increase domestic pulse production to 350 lakh tonnes by 2030–31.
• Expand the area under pulse cultivation and improve productivity per hectare.
• Promote high-yielding, pest-resistant and climate-resilient seed varieties.
• Strengthen the availability of certified seeds and seed distribution systems.
• Ensure remunerative prices through MSP-based procurement.
• Reduce dependence on imported Tur, Urad and Masoor.
• Establish modern dal mills and processing facilities.
• Improve storage, marketing, digital monitoring and supply-chain efficiency.
• Support farmers, rural employment and long-term nutritional security.

Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses: Targets by 2030–31

The mission aims to increase production through a combination of area expansion and yield improvement.

Understanding the Production Strategy

The mission's production target depends on three major interventions:

• Area expansion: Bringing additional land, including suitable rice-fallow areas, under pulses.
• Yield improvement: Increasing output per hectare through better seeds, crop management and technology.
• Reduced post-harvest losses: Improving processing, storage and market connectivity so that more of the harvested crop reaches consumers.

Together, these measures are intended to create a stronger and more reliable domestic pulse supply chain.

Major Components of the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses

1. Quality Seeds & Climate-Resilient Varieties

• Supplies 88 lakh free seed kits and 126 lakh quintals of certified, climate-resilient seeds over six years.
• Focuses on high-yielding, pest-resistant crop varieties adapted to changing weather.
• Tracks end-to-end seed authentication and distribution transparently through the SATHI portal.
• Delivered 9.25 lakh seed kits during the 2025–26 Rabi season, targeting rice-fallow zones.

2. Cluster-Based Cultivation Expansion

• Adds 35 lakh hectares to pulse cultivation via crop diversification, intercropping, and rice-fallow land use.
• Mobilizes 489 districts under a unified cluster framework for localized delivery.
• Coordinates ground-level technical support across ICAR, KVKs, and state agriculture departments.
• Implements soil testing, balanced fertilization, precision irrigation, and mechanized sowing.
• Delivers integrated pest management (IPM) alongside hands-on farmer field demonstrations.

3. Assured Procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP)

• Procures Tur, Urad, and Masoor at MSP via NAFED and NCCF to eliminate market volatility.
• Secures a 4-year guaranteed procurement window (2025–26 to 2028–29) under PM-AASHA’s Price Support Scheme (PSS).
• Disbursed ₹7,047 crore to 4.69 lakh farmers via NCCF, procuring 10.55 lakh tonnes across nine states in early operations.
• Boosted total pulse procurement from 18.4 lakh tonnes (2024–25) to over 31.4 lakh tonnes (2025–26).

4. Post-Harvest Infrastructure & Dal Mills

• Targets 1,000 new dal mills (pulse-processing units) to curb transit wastage and add rural value.
• Provides financial assistance up to ₹25 lakh per unit (33% of eligible project cost).
• Allocated 528 processing units across states and Union Territories in Phase 1.
• Completed 18 specialized processing facilities under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY).

5. Digital Governance & Real-Time Monitoring

• SATHI Portal: Manages seed certification, traceability, and digital distribution logs.
• Krishi Mapper: Tracks crop coverage and acreage via geospatial mapping.
• AgriStack: Unifies farmer profiles and agricultural datasets on a single digital backbone.
• Digital Crop Survey: Collects ground-level sowing data in real time.
• e-Samriddhi: Facilitates transparent farmer registration and direct MSP procurement.
• Vistaar: Delivers localized agro-advisories and expert farming guidance.
• Three-Tier Committees: Synchronizes administrative monitoring across national, state, and district bodies.

First-Year Progress of the Pulses Mission: 2025–26

The initial production figures indicate an improvement in pulse output, cultivated area, and average yield during 2025–26.

Production, Area, and Yield

Changes in Pulse Trade

The figures supplied for the period also indicate a decline in import value and an increase in exports.

Major Pulse-Producing States in India

Pulse production is geographically distributed across several agricultural regions. Major producing states include

• Madhya Pradesh
• Maharashtra
• Rajasthan
• Uttar Pradesh
• Gujarat
• Andhra Pradesh
• Karnataka
• Jharkhand
• Odisha
• West Bengal

Production patterns differ by crop, agro-climatic conditions, irrigation availability and local farming practices. The mission's cluster-based approach seeks to use these regional differences to improve productivity and expand cultivation in suitable areas.

Benefits of the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses

The mission supports farmers, strengthens the economy, and promotes sustainable agriculture.

• Farmers’ Income: Quality seeds, MSP procurement, and better market access are expected to benefit nearly two crore farmers.
• Economic Growth: Reduced pulse imports can save foreign exchange and boost rural employment through processing and storage.
• Nutritional Security: Increased pulse availability can improve access to affordable, protein-rich foods.
• Soil Health: Nitrogen fixation and crop diversification promote sustainable farming.
• Viksit Bharat 2047: Greater self-reliance in pulses can strengthen agricultural resilience and rural development.

Challenges in Achieving Pulse Self-Sufficiency

Despite encouraging initial indicators, several challenges could influence the mission's long-term performance.

• Climate variability: Pulses are vulnerable to irregular rainfall, drought, heat stress, and certain pests and diseases. Climate-resilient varieties and better water management will remain essential.
• Seed availability: Quality seeds must reach farmers before sowing. Delays in production, distribution or certification can limit the impact of the programme.
• Productivity gaps: Differences in farming practices, irrigation and access to technology mean that productivity varies significantly between regions.
• Procurement efficiency: MSP announcements alone cannot guarantee effective price support. Farmers need accessible procurement centres, timely payments and clear registration procedures.
• Storage and processing constraints: Inadequate warehousing and processing facilities can increase post-harvest losses and weaken farmers' bargaining power.
• Coordination between agencies: Successful implementation requires consistent coordination between the Union Government, state governments, research institutions, cooperatives and farmer organisations.

How Can India Achieve Self-Reliance in Pulses?

To achieve the mission's targets, India needs to combine production growth with improvements in productivity, infrastructure and market access.

1. Strengthen agricultural research: Develop short-duration, high-yielding, pest-resistant and climate-resilient pulse varieties.
2. Improve seed delivery: Ensure certified seeds and seed kits are distributed on time and are suited to local agro-climatic conditions.
3. Expand suitable cultivation areas: Promote pulses in rice-fallow fields, intercropping systems and crop rotations where agronomically appropriate.
4. Make procurement accessible: Expand farmer awareness, simplify registration and improve procurement logistics and payment transparency.
5. Invest in processing and storage: Encourage modern dal mills, scientific warehousing and efficient transportation systems.
6. Strengthen digital monitoring: Use reliable crop surveys and digital platforms to improve planning, identify gaps and monitor outcomes.
7. Integrate pulses into nutrition programmes: Explore appropriate ways to strengthen the use of pulses in public food and nutrition initiatives while considering procurement, budgets and local dietary needs.
8. Improve farmer awareness: Expand training through KVKs, agricultural universities, extension workers and farmer-producer organisations.
9. A coordinated approach across these areas will be necessary to convert higher production into lasting self-reliance and better returns for farmers.