Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while reacting to the Economic Survey, said the figures clearly show that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has achieved remarkable progress in both agriculture and rural development. He described the Survey as an important document reflecting the strength of India’s agricultural sector and the transformation taking place in rural India.
According to Mr. Chouhan, the average annual growth rate of agriculture and allied sectors over the last five years (at constant prices) has been 4.4%, which is considered higher than the global average. He added that during FY 2016 to FY 2025, the decade-long growth rate of the agriculture sector stood at 4.45%, marking the best performance compared to previous decades. He further noted that even in the second quarter of FY 2025-26, the agriculture sector recorded a 3.5% growth rate, highlighting its stability and resilience.
The Union Minister said that India’s foodgrain production reached a record 357.73 million tonnes in FY 2024-25. This growth was mainly driven by improved output of rice, wheat, maize, and coarse cereals (Shri Anna). He stated that India is not only self-reliant in foodgrain production but is also emerging as a leading global player in several crops.
Mr. Chouhan highlighted that horticulture has become one of the brightest segments of agricultural growth, contributing nearly 33% to the Gross Value Added (GVA) in agriculture. As per the Economic Survey, horticulture production increased from 280.70 million tonnes in FY 2013-14 to 367.72 million tonnes in FY 2024-25. During this period, fruit production stood at 114.51 million tonnes, vegetables at 219.67 million tonnes, and other horticulture crops at 33.54 million tonnes.
He also said that India has now become the world’s largest onion producer, contributing nearly 25% to global onion output. India ranks as the second-largest producer of vegetables, fruits, and potatoes, with a 12–13% share in global production across each category.
Speaking about rural development achievements, the Minister said rural infrastructure has seen rapid improvement in areas such as roads, housing, drinking water, and digital connectivity. He noted that under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), more than 99.6% of eligible habitations have now been connected with all-weather roads.
He further stated that across different phases of PMGSY, lakhs of kilometres of roads and thousands of bridges have been completed. Under PMGSY-IV, road projects covering more than 10,000 kilometres have been approved, ensuring better access to essential services for around 3,270 unconnected habitations in Jammu & Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh.
Mr. Chouhan said that in the last 11 years, 3.70 crore pucca houses have been built in rural areas under the vision of “Housing for All”. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin, a target of 4.14 crore houses has been set, and most of these have already been approved.
Highlighting digital initiatives, he said that under the SVAMITVA Scheme, drone surveys have been completed in 3.28 lakh villages, and 2.76 crore property cards have been issued. In addition, under the Digital Land Records Modernization Programme, digitisation of 99.8% of rural land records has been completed.
He also shared that under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), more than 10 crore rural women are now connected to over 90 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Crossing the mark of 2.5 crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’ was described as a major achievement towards women’s economic empowerment in rural India.
FAQs:
Q1. What does the Economic Survey say about agriculture growth in India?
It reports an average agriculture growth rate of around 4.4% over the last five years.
Q2. What was India’s foodgrain production in FY 2024-25?
India recorded a historic 357.73 million tonnes of foodgrain production.
Q3. Why is horticulture important for Indian agriculture?
Horticulture contributes 33% to agricultural GVA and shows rapid production growth.
Q4. What progress has PMGSY made in rural connectivity?
Over 99.6% of eligible villages are now connected with all-weather roads.
Q5. What are ‘Lakhpati Didis’?
They are women SHG members earning over ₹1 lakh annually under NRLM.
