Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses-2025

Policy Update
Omkar Shelar

Background  

India is an agricultural country and 46.1% of India’s population depend on agriculture. However, it only contributes 16.6 % to India’s GDP (NSSO/PLFS). India grows multiple crops among them pulses is one of the important contributors to India’s agricultural growth. India grows 25% of words’ pulses, yet it falls short to fulfill the domestic demand. Hence, to achieve self sufficiency in pulses, the government of India launched the Mission for Atma Nirbharta in Pulses . The mission focuses on 3 pulses which are tur/arhar (pigeonpea), urad (black gram) and masoor (red lentil).

Throughout decades India has experienced major shifts in its agricultural land. During the Green Revolution era of the 1960s  and 1970s,  the agricultural strategy concentrated mainly on wheat and rice expansion yet this emphasis diminished the production of pulses along with other legumes. The area given to pulse farming decreased which caused a reduction in available domestic pulses and increased the country’s need for imported pulses. 

The Indian government initiated multiple programs to increase pulse output after understanding their value as nutritional food and economic resource. The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) incorporated pulses as an essential crop when it was launched in 2007 to enhance both land areas allocated to pulses and maximize their productivity levels. But India still imports (14%) pulses to satisfy domestic consumption.  Aatmanirbharta in Pulses Mission works to solve this problem through improvements in domestic pulse farming as well as protection of food supplies and establishment of sustainable agricultural operations.

Objectives of Mission  :  

The Mission for Atma Nirbharta in Pulses contains specific aims to establish self-reliance through:

  1. Enhance Domestic Production : Domestic pulse production needs to rise yearly to fulfill the national requirements which will decrease import dependence.
  2. Improve Productivity : The use of advanced agricultural technology along with innovative farming practices to increase production output of pulses on each hectare.
  3. Promote Sustainable Farming : The mission supports sustainable farming practices through encouraged agricultural methods that promote pulse cultivation sustainability.
  4. Strengthen Sustainable Farming : The establishment of a strong market network and supply chains to ensure reasonable pulse prices.
  5. Enhance Farmer Income : Support financial and technological support to pulse farmers to enhance their income levels.

Components of Mission:  

 To achieve the objectives of the mission, it encompasses several components : 

  1. Research and Development (R&D):  Mission focuses on developing high-yielding, climate- resistant, and pest resistance pulse variety. It focuses on collaborating with agricultural institutions to create and disseminate new technologies. 
  2. Extension Services: Provide best-practice training and support programs to farmers that teach the proper techniques of pulse cultivation together with soil management strategies, pest control methods and water conservation methods. 
  3. Infrastructure Development: The development of upgraded irrigation systems, enhanced storage units and better transportation systems to support pulse production and distribution.
  4. Financial Support: Mission also focuses on offering subsidies, insurance schemes, and credit facilities to reduce risk associated with pulse farming. 
  5. Market Reforms:  Mission focuses on establishing policies that would ensure minimum support prices (MSP) for pulses and develop direct sales channels for farmers.

Functioning  

The mission functions through a multi-tiered approach by involving both central and state governments, farmer organizations, and research institutions.

  1. Central Coordination: The central government develops policies while distributing funds and assesses mission development at all times. 
  2. State Government : Governments at the state-level adapt mission components that meet local requirements to develop specific production strategies for pulses.
  3. District-Level Execution : Local agricultural departments together with district authorities and farmer cooperatives work alongside population groups to apply the mission directly to rural areas.
  4. Public-Private Partnerships : Private entities should participate in research and development initiatives as well as infrastructure construction and market connection programs to take advantage of their capabilities and financial support.

Performance 

India has taken several steps to boost pulses production and support farmers. The National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Pulses, run by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, works across 28 States and 2 Union Territories. It provides assistance for cropping demonstrations, seed production, and distributing better-quality seeds. The PM-AASHA scheme helps farmers get fair prices through price support, price deficiency payments, and private procurement initiatives. In Budget 2025, the government launched the Mission for Atma Nirbharta in Pulses, focusing on Tur, Urad, and Masoor, with Rs 1,000 crore for MSP-based procurement. ICAR has also played a key role, developing 343 high-yielding pulse varieties since 2014. These missions helped India to increase its domestic production and reduce dependency on import. 

  1. India had always maintained its position as the world’s leading pulse producer even though domestic output failed to match rising domestic demand thus needing substantial imports to offset this deficit.  The production numbers for Indian pulses have increased consistently  over the length of recent years. The FY 2002 pulse output reached 13 million metric tons and it reached 26 million metric tons by FY 2024. The continuous growth results from government initiatives together with farm-level activities that focus on productivity increase.
  2. The competitive performance of pulse production started to increase during FY 2017 after the introduction of specific pulse self-reliance programs during that fiscal year. The period witnessed important developments because of increased spending on infrastructure development and research investments together with seed distribution enhancements. 
  3. Production of pulses reached stable levels in FY 2018 following which it showed minor annual changes. The stability of India’s pulse production has reduced national dependence on imports while maintaining price stability. Future pulse production will stay positive because of the ongoing policy backing and technological growth which will make India more self-sufficient in pulses.
  4. Despite this growth, rising consumption caused pulse imports to increase sharply. Between 2013-14 and 2016-17, imports almost doubled—from 31.78 lakh tonnes ($1.83 billion) to 66.09 lakh tonnes ($4.24 billion). However, targeted initiatives have helped reduce import dependency. It fell from 19% in 2013-14 to around 9% by 2021-22, and forecasts suggest it may drop further to approximately 3% by 2030-31.
  5. Technological advancements have played a crucial role in improving pulse production. Farmers now use high-yielding, pest-resistant, and climate-resilient pulse varieties. Additionally, training programs on modern farming techniques have enhanced productivity while encouraging sustainable practices.

    AD 4nXehHPe8i mK5NL14W9IYZ0IE7epfNG0qy 31L7r6 Scqc5VgMjixnKVZsPnZgb hwb7CgrLChYb1QTDF9E0rFjFwO

  6. Pulses now benefit from better storage and processing facilities due to increased investments which improved the distribution methods of the supply chain. The updated storage systems together with processing facilities have decreased harvest losses while making distribution better and more effective. While detailed data is scarce, these improvements have strengthened India’s ability to meet its pulse demand independently.

AD 4nXc8R7QyCFVFdNLvzKRoBlkFlCTzz2AuUpWQ3MH3ohvsqeEHc9WT8btBq N6AqDInHjh39HjkJrH

  1. Higher domestic production has also helped keep pulse prices more stable, providing relief to both farmers and consumers. Although specific price figures are limited, reduced imports and better supply chain management have likely contributed to controlling price fluctuations.
  2. Pulse procurement numbers have increased by 74.18 times from 2009-14 until 2016-22. Total pulse procurement in the period from 2009-14 for Urad at 85,130.34 MT followed by Toor at 66,664.76 MT and Gram at 36.08 MT while Masoor and Moong raised no procurement figures. During 2016-22 the purchase volume was greatly increased across every category with Gram leading procurement at 5,704,270.43 MT followed by Toor at 3,261,895.35 MT, Moong at 1,120,594.32 MT, Urad at 871,905.14 MT and Masoor at 304,615.60 MT.(Fig.1 &2 – Production of Pulses  (https://www.statista.com/statistics/620800/india-grain-production/ )                  

  Fig.3  Increase in pulse procurement (2009 to 2022) 

AD 4nXe3ni8I0JXxa6l2 mOE5esMcEFqfE9yO0h41n LWrlTOlOnUjbEbRQbx74450ELsL8Hup8SjXWHvcKip2t8gUxWu2QuMTW3pvfZJ Qe35XwJ2c0BaJgAAOzE9

   Source : PIB

  1. The below provided line chart displays the changing distribution of food grain lands between pulses in addition to their growing production rates between 2015-16 and 2021-22  Pulse cultivation area expanded from 20% to 24% during this time period and their total food grain production percentage increased from 6% to 9%. Pulse cultivation together with its production levels show continuous growth throughout the period.

     Fig.4 Increased the area under the pulse production.

Source:https://www.dpd.gov.in/Final%20%20Annual%20Report%20(2022-23)%20with%20Preface%20(As%20on%2020.02.2024).pdf 

  1. The below provided data illustrates pulse import and export activity between 2017-18 to 2021-22. Import statistics decreased significantly from 56.08 lakh tonnes in 2017-18 to reach 23.9 lakh tonnes in 2018-19 with minimal fluctuations until reaching 23-27 lakh tonnes in 2021-22. There has been a steady growth in pulse export volumes from 1.8 lakh tonnes in 2017-18 to reach 3.1 lakh tonnes in 2021-22 in conjunction with rising domestic production and increasing export Drive.

    Fig. 5 Import and Export of Pulses.

AD 4nXea2lBPg66McG3x6WUnShB8DD5kPB8mgshw0b0QqynAgqGvjldJmaTShAvK dGUrDnirnw

Source:https://www.dpd.gov.in/Final%20%20Annual%20Report%20(2022-23)%20with%20Preface%20(As%20on%2020.02.2024).pdf 

Despite positive growth in production and export,  India still is not self dependent on pulse production and is still importing large quantities of pulses. Hence, to overcome the prevailing gaps in the pulse sector, the government launched the six year Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses in 2025 annual budget by allocating the 1,000 crore.

Impact

In the performance area, mission has played an important role and also impacted the overall growth in production. These whole would impact in following ways, 

  1. Economical : Lower import costs have caused a positive influence on the nation’s trade balance.
  2. Social : Higher farmer income led to better living standards while decreasing rural poverty among people.
  3. Nutritional : The higher pulse availability since the mission has brought better nutrition results throughout the population.
  4. Environmental : Soil health as well as environmental degradation decreased because sustainable practices became prominent through this initiative.
  5. Emerging Issues in Mission: 

 Progress has been made although new difficulties is still there,

  1. Climate Variability : Unstable weather conditions create a big challenge for pulse crop production.
  2. Market Fluctuations : Trends within the international market continue to affect prices of domestic pulses even after deregulation.
  3. Resource Constraints : The acquisition of resources along with technology presents an obstacle for small or marginal farms.
  4. Infrastructure Gaps : The lack of proper infrastructure in specific areas makes it difficult to distribute pulse products efficiently.

Way Forward

The mission’s success faces multiple hurdles which must be addressed to keep the mission going forward.

  1. Climate Resilience: There is a need to create a climate resilient pulse variety that would sustain any climate vulnerability and help to promote sustainable agriculture.
  2. Market Integration: The approach should integrate domestic interests into global market participation.
  3. Inclusive Support: The program must provide necessary support structures along with resources for small and marginal farmers to obtain access.
  4. Infrastructure Investment: The government needs to dedicate funding to infrastructure development in areas which lack basic amenities.

Conclusion

Aatmanirbharta in Pulses Mission functions as a crucial initiative that works towards achieving self-reliance within India’s pulse industry. The mission works to strengthen the pulse industry by resolving production issues while stabilizing markets and enabling farmer empowerment to create a sustainable industry. The mission needs sustained work together with flexible tactics to deal with new problems which will secure its enduring accomplishment.

Sources

About the Contributor

Omkar Shelar is a Policy research Intern at IMPRI and a postgraduate student of Public Policy and Governance at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad with a keen interest in Data Driven Policy Making and Analysis.  

Acknowledgement: The author extends sincere gratitude to Dr Arjun Kumar and Aasthaba Jadeja for their invaluable guidance and support.

Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.

Read more at IMPRI:

National Green Hydrogen Mission 2023: A Sustainable Energy Transition Mission

Nuclear Energy Mission for Vikasit Bharat 2025

Author

Related Posts

Talk to Us