Digital Agriculture Mission likely to see major funding push

FINANCE MINISTER NIRMALA

- SANDIP DAS

Sitharaman is likely to announce a substantial hike in budgetary allocation for expanding the Digital Agriculture Mission in the forthcoming Budget for 2026-27.Sources told FE that the mission, launched last year with a budgetary allocation of ₹2,817 crore valid till the end of FY26 - coinciding with the Fifteenth Finance Commission period - is likely to be expanded with a significantly higher allocation from FY27 onwards.

"The funding for the mission is likely to be revamped substantially with additional features for bringing transparency in crop estimation, conditions, and efficiency in the delivery of welfare schemes, including cash benefit transfers under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana," sources said.

In her Budget speech for 2024-25, Sitharaman had announced the launch of a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture to cover farmers and their land holdings over a three-year period.