Reacting to the recently released Economic Survey, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, said the report reflects the remarkable progress of India’s agriculture and rural sectors under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Strong and Consistent Agricultural Growth
The Minister highlighted that over the past five years, the agriculture and allied sectors have recorded an average annual growth rate of 4.4% at constant prices, surpassing the global average. Between FY 2016 and FY 2025, the decade-long growth rate of the sector stood at 4.45%, the highest in comparison to previous decades.
For the second quarter of FY 2025-26, agriculture achieved a 3.5% growth rate, demonstrating the sector’s stability and resilience.
Record Foodgrain and Horticulture Production
Shivraj Singh Chauhan noted that India’s foodgrain production reached a record 357.73 million tonnes in FY 2024-25, driven by higher yields of rice, wheat, maize, and coarse cereals. He emphasized that India is now self-reliant in foodgrain production and plays a leading role globally in several crops.
The horticulture sector emerged as a key growth driver, contributing nearly 33% to agriculture’s Gross Value Added (GVA). Horticulture production increased from 280.70 million tonnes in FY 2013-14 to 367.72 million tonnes in FY 2024-25, including 114.51 million tonnes of fruits, 219.67 million tonnes of vegetables, and 33.54 million tonnes of other horticultural crops.
India has also become the largest onion producer globally, contributing around 25% to global onion production, while ranking second worldwide in vegetable, fruit, and potato production, with a 12–13% share in each category.
Historic Expansion of Rural Infrastructure
Minister Chauhan highlighted significant progress in rural infrastructure, including roads, housing, drinking water, and digital connectivity. Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), over 99.6% of eligible habitations are now connected by all-weather roads. The program has completed millions of kilometers of roads and thousands of bridges, with PMGSY-IV approving over 10,000 km of new roads to connect 3,270 previously unlinked habitations across Jammu & Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh.
Housing, Digital Empowerment, and Livelihoods
Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural), around 37 million pucca houses have been constructed over the past 11 years, moving toward the target of 41.4 million homes. Digital initiatives include drone surveys in 328,000 villages and issuance of 27.6 million property cards, with 99.8% of rural land records digitized.
Under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission, more than 100 million rural women are linked to over 9 million Self Help Groups (SHGs), with the number of “Lakhpati Didi” beneficiaries surpassing 25 million, marking a major milestone in women’s economic empowerment.
Minister Chauhan concluded that the Economic Survey data demonstrates India’s robust agricultural growth and transformative rural development, reflecting sustained policy focus on self-reliance, infrastructure, and inclusive prosperity.
By
