Mission for Self-Reliance in Pulses (Dalhan Atmanirbharta Mission) 2026: Benefits and How to Register

The Mission for Self-Reliance in Pulses (Dalhan Atmanirbharta Mission) is a Rs 11,440 crore, six-year scheme from 2025-26 to 2030-31. It aims to add 35 lakh hectares of pulse area and reach 350 lakh tonnes of production by 2030-31. NAFED and NCCF buy 100% of tur, urad and masoor at MSP from registered farmers in participating states for four years.

What is the Mission for Self-Reliance in Pulses?

The Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (self-reliance in pulses) is also called the Dalhan Atmanirbharta Mission. The Union Cabinet cleared it on 1 October 2025 and the mission was launched on 11 October 2025, as reported in the PM India Cabinet release and the Drishti IAS first-year review. India grows many pulses, but it still buys some tur, urad and masoor from other countries. The mission wants to close that gap by 2030-31.

In simple words, the government wants you to grow more pulses with better seed. It also promises a buyer at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), so you need not fear a price crash. If you want a wider list of central schemes, read our agriculture subsidy schemes in India guide.

Pulses self-reliance mission at a glance

Here are the key numbers in one place. A few short terms first. MSP is the lowest price the government promises for your crop. NAFED and NCCF are two government-backed cooperative bodies that buy crops from farmers. PACS is your village credit society. FPO is a farmer producer company. Procurement just means buying.

What do farmers actually get from the mission?

Farmers get four kinds of help. First, better seed. You get free seed kits of high-yield varieties. Each state also has a five-year plan to make more certified seed. Second, more area. The mission pushes pulses on fields left empty after rice, and as a mixed crop with other crops. Third, a buyer. The government buys tur, urad and masoor at MSP. Fourth, small units near villages that clean, sort and process dal.

• Seed kits and certified seed. Small packs let you try a new variety on a few acres before switching fully.
• Empty rice fields and mixed cropping. After paddy, many fields in the east and south stay empty in the rabi season. The mission pushes pulses there. It also promotes tur grown between rows of another crop.
• A sure buyer. NAFED and NCCF buy all that registered farmers bring, in states that have joined, for four years.
• Processing units. About 1,000 units are planned, with assistance of up to Rs 25 lakh each as reported by Drishti. This help is for entrepreneurs, farmer groups and cooperatives, not only for single farmers.
• Tracking. Committees at the national, state and district level watch progress. The mission also uses a seed website called SATHI, an app called Krishi Mapper and farmer ID data.

Does the government really buy 100% of tur, urad and masoor?

Yes, but there are conditions. For four years (2025-26 to 2028-29), NAFED and NCCF will buy tur, urad and masoor at MSP. This is under a price-support plan called PM-AASHA. You must be registered, and your state must have joined. You can still sell in the open market if the price is higher than MSP. This is explained in this Indian Cooperative report on the NAFED and NCCF portals.

What Is Not Guaranteed: Registering does not mean your nearest buying centre is open today. Buying starts when your state opens its window. Your crop must also meet the quality rules. Ask your village credit society (PACS), farmer company (FPO) or district agriculture office about the centre, the dates and the moisture limit before you bring the crop.

What are the MSP rates for tur, urad and masoor?

For the kharif 2026-27 marketing season the MSP is Rs 8,450 per quintal for tur (arhar) and Rs 8,200 per quintal for urad, as reported by AgroSpectrum India. For rabi, the 2026-27 marketing season MSP for masoor (lentil) is Rs 7,000 per quintal, up Rs 300 from Rs 6,700, as reported by The Statesman. MSP is announced every year, so always check the latest notice. Our rabi MSP crop-wise rates post lists the rest of the rabi crops.

How can a farmer register for assured pulse procurement?

You register on the website of the agency that buys your crop. NAFED runs e-Samridhi. NCCF runs e-Samyukti. You can register yourself or take help from your PACS or FPO. The sites ask for your Aadhaar, land, bank account and crop details. Payment goes to the bank account you give. Follow these steps.

1. Check your state. Ask the district agriculture office if your state has joined. Also ask which agency, NAFED or NCCF, buys in your area.
2. Keep your papers ready. Aadhaar, land record, bank passbook (account linked to Aadhaar) and a mobile number linked to Aadhaar.
3. Register on the portal or through your PACS/FPO. If you are not comfortable online, your village society can help you.
4. Enter the right crop and area. Write tur, urad or masoor and the real area you sowed. A wrong area often causes trouble later.
5. Choose or note your purchase centre. If the site allows it, pick the nearest centre.
6. Bring clean, dry produce when your centre opens. The crop must meet quality rules, so clean and dry it first.
7. Check payment. Money goes to the bank account you added on the site.

Fraud Warning: Registration on the official portals is free. Do not pay any agent or "market-yard middleman" to register or to get your crop accepted. Use only the NAFED, NCCF, PACS or state agriculture office channels.

Many farmers have already joined. A reply in Parliament (Lok Sabha), reported in July 2026, gave about 44.1 lakh farmers on e-Samyukti and about 15.8 lakh on e-Samridhi. These numbers keep changing, so treat them as a snapshot.

Which farmers and states benefit most?

The mission works in 489 districts. The first-year review names these big pulse-growing states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. Fields left empty after rice in the east and south can gain the most new pulse area. Small farmers who sell cheap to private traders after harvest get a second buyer at MSP.

The same review gives recent numbers. India made 274.09 lakh tonnes of pulses in 2025-26 (third government estimate), up from 256.83 lakh tonnes the year before. The yield was 957 kg per hectare. The goal of 1,130 kg per hectare is a big jump. It needs better seed and better crop care.

How can farmers raise pulse yield to meet the target?

Good seed comes first. Healthy soil comes next. Pulses make their own nitrogen through small lumps on their roots, so they need little nitrogen fertiliser. They do need enough phosphorus, sulphur and zinc. Test your soil first. Our guide to reading your Soil Health Card shows how.

• Mix the seed with a Rhizobium culture before sowing. It helps the root lumps form well. See Katyayani Rhizobium biofertiliser. For chana, the same idea is explained in our biofertiliser for chana guide.
• Add only the nutrients your soil test shows are low. Do not guess.
• Feed the crop well from flowering to pod filling. A ready pack such as Katyayani Sampoorna Poshan combo for pulses and oilseeds covers this in one kit.
• Check the field often during flowering. Act on the first pod borer or pod bug you see, not after the damage is done.

Which other schemes should a pulse farmer combine with this mission?

The mission gives seed, a buyer and processing help. It does not pay for crop loss or give loans. To cover loss from weather or pests, check PMFBY rabi enrollment before the cut-off date. For money to buy seed, inputs and pay labour, a Kisan Credit Card is the usual route. Use both along with the mission.

Common mistakes that cost farmers money

• Registering too late. You may miss the buying window.
• Bank account not linked to Aadhaar. Payment then gets stuck.
• Writing the wrong crop or area on the site.
• Bringing damp or mixed grain. The centre may reject it.
• Paying a third person to "arrange" registration. It is free.
• Assuming the 100% promise covers chana, moong or other pulses. It covers tur, urad and masoor only.

Conclusion

The pulses self-reliance mission is not a cash gift. It is a package of better seed, more pulse area, a sure buyer at MSP and local processing. For you, the next steps are simple. Check that your state has joined. Register on e-Samridhi or e-Samyukti, with help from your PACS or FPO if needed, before the buying window. Make sure your Aadhaar and bank details match. Then grow a clean, dry crop. Check the official notices every season, because dates and state lists change.