India launched the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses to boost domestic production, reduce imports, ensure farmer benefits, promote sustainable practices, and achieve self-sufficiency by 2027. It emphasizes innovation, value chains, and climate resilience.

Why in the News?

Prime Minister of India recently launched the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (Dalhan Aatmanirbharta Mission).

Key Features of Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses

List of Key Targets for ensuring self-sufficiency in Pulses (2030-32)- Cultivation area 310 lakh hectares; Production 350 lakh tonnes ; Yield 1130 kg/ha.

Aim: Boosting domestic production, reduce import dependence and achieving self-sufficiency (Aatmanirbharta) in pulses by December 2027.
Duration: 6 Years (2025-26 to 2030-31).
Financial Outlay: Rs. 11,440 crore.
Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Government of India
Focus Crops: Tur/Arhar (pigeon pea); Urad (black gram) & Masoor (red lentil).
Cluster-based approach: Tailoring interventions to the specific needs of each cluster.
Benefit: To benefit 2 crore farmers from guaranteed procurement, quality seed distribution, and enhanced value chain support.
Other intended benefits:
- Promote climate-resilient and soil health-friendly practices.
- Create substantial employment opportunities.
- Promoting intercropping and crop diversification.
Operational Strategy
- Seed Development and Distribution: Production and distribution of 126 lakh quintals of certified seeds and the free provision of 88 lakh seed kits to farmers.
  - Emphasis is placed on developing and disseminating high-yielding, pest-resistant, and climate-resilient pulses varieties.
- Assured Procurement: 100% procurement of Tur, Urad, and Masoor at MSP for four years.
  - National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) & National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd. (NCCF) will procure from farmers in participating states under Price Support Scheme (PSS) of Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA).
- Role of states: To ensure effective implementation, states will prepare rolling five-year seed production plans, with breeder seed production monitored by ICAR and quality assurance maintained through the SATHI portal.
  - SATHI (Seed Authentication, Traceability & Holistic Inventory) is a user-oriented centralized portal by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, in partnership with National Informatics Centre (NIC).
- Post-harvest value chain: Establishing 1,000 processing and packaging units, supported by subsidies of up to ₹25 lakh per unit.

Status of Pulses production in India

India is world's largest producer, consumer, and importer of pulses.
Top 3 pulses-producing states: Madhya Pradesh (largest producer, contributing 22.11% of total production), Maharashtra, and Rajasthan accounting nearly 55% of India's pulse production.
Season: Grown in all three seasons (kharif, rabi, and summer).
- Kharif crops: pigeon pea, green gram, black gram, and minor pulses (moth bean, rajmash, horse gram, etc.)
- Rabi crops: chickpea, lentil, field bean, green gram, and black gram
- Summer crops: green gram and black gram
Important pulses: Chickpea (47.4%), pigeonpea (15.4%), green gram (12%), black gram (10.3%), and lentil (5.4%)
Production trend: Rose from 192.55 lakh tonnes in FY14 to 244.93 FY24 lakh tonnes.

Need for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses

Insufficient Domestic Production: Domestic production has not kept pace with demand, leading to a 15–20% increase in pulse imports
- In 2023–24, India imported 47.38 lakh tonnes of pulses, even as it exported 5.94 lakh tonnes.
Addressing Malnutrition: Pulses contribute nearly 20–25 % of total protein intake in Indian diets, however the per capita consumption of pulses falls short of the recommended 85 grams per day.
Increasing Demand: Total demand is projected to reach 46.33 MT by 2030 and 50.26 MT by 2047.
Environmental and Soil Health Benefits: Pulses enhance soil fertility due to their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, which helps reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers,
Price and Market Stabilization: Price fluctuation due to volatility in global trade and domestic production acts as a challenge in meeting inflation targets.

Other initiatives for promoting pulse production

National Food Security Mission (NFSM) – Pulses: Initiated in 2007, focused on area expansion, productivity enhancement, and the adoption of modern technologies.
Accelerated Pulses Production Programme (A3P) (2010–2014): Focused on cluster demonstrations of advanced agricultural practices.
PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan): Launched in 2018, this umbrella scheme provides price assurance for pulse, oilseeds, and copra.
Minimum Support Prices (MSPs): For key pulse crops, including pigeonpea(tur), chickpea(chana), green gram (Moong), black gram(urad), and lentil(masoor).
Buffer Stock Management: The government maintains a buffer stock of pulses through the Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) and PSS procurement to stabilize consumer prices and ensure availability.
Subsidized Retail Distribution (Bharat Dal): Government launched an initiative to convert stocks of chana (chickpea), mung (green gram), and masur (lentil) into subsidized "Bharat Dal" for retail distribution through outlets like NAFED, NCCF etc.

Conclusion

The "Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses" lays the groundwork for a self-reliant, sustainable, and resilient pulses sector. By combining technology, innovation, and farmer empowerment, it will ensure nutritional security, boost rural prosperity, and reduce import dependence — steering India toward true agricultural and economic self-sufficiency.