NITI Aayog releases report on “Strategies and Pathways for Accelerating Growth in Pulses towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta”

NITI Aayog has released a report titled “Strategies and Pathways for Accelerating Growth in Pulses towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta”, presenting a comprehensive roadmap to accelerate the growth and transformation of India’s pulses sector.

Importance of Pulses to Rural Economy

Nearly 80% of India’s pulse production comes from rainfed areas, sustaining the livelihoods of more than 5 crore farmers and their families. The sector is not only central to rural economies but also crucial to achieving the national vision of self-reliance (Atmanirbharta).

Production Growth and Reduced Import Dependency

India witnessed a major turnaround after a decline in production to 16.35 million tonnes (MT) in 2015–16, which had necessitated imports of 6 MT. With government interventions, production surged by 59.4% to 26.06 MT in 2022–23, coupled with a 38% rise in productivity. Import dependency reduced significantly from 29% to 10.4% during this period.

Diversity of Crops and Regional Concentration

India’s diverse agro-climatic conditions allow the cultivation of 12 pulse crops across kharif, rabi, and summer seasons. However, production remains regionally concentrated—Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan contribute about 55%, while the top ten states together account for over 91% of national output.

Pathway to Self-Reliance

The report stresses the need to address regional production gaps to reduce import dependency, ensure nutritional security, and strengthen India’s march towards Atmanirbharta in pulses. As the world’s largest producer and consumer of pulses, India’s progress in this sector is critical to both domestic food security and global supply dynamics.