‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ to be carried out across the country from June 1 to June 30

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Khet Bachao Abhiyan

1. At a Glance

• A nationwide farmer-awareness campaign run from June 1–30, 2026 across all districts of India, focused on soil health and balanced/judicious fertiliser use [S1][S3].
• Launched formally by Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Raisen, Madhya Pradesh on June 3, 2026 [S3].
• Relevant for GS-III (agriculture, soil health, fertiliser economy) and as a current-affairs scheme name likely to appear in Prelims as a distractor/matching item.
• Signals policy shift from fertiliser-subsidy-driven overuse toward soil-test-based, need-based fertiliser application.

2. Why in the News

• Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare announced the abhiyan would be conducted June 1–30, 2026, with preparations to take it to every village [User-supplied excerpt].
• Formally launched by Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan at Raisen, MP on June 3, 2026, alongside foundation-laying of a model Agricultural Science Centre and a farming roadmap for Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore, and Dewas districts [S3].
• Mid-campaign progress release (PRID 2264122) reported the campaign had reached 2.712 crore citizens and sensitised 7.17 lakh farmers on balanced fertiliser use [S2].
• Minister participated in the concluding ceremony in Haryana with CM Shri Nayab Singh Saini, and announced the campaign would evolve into a long-term national mission rather than a one-time drive [S4][S2].

3. Background & Evolution

• Conceived by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare under Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan as part of a broader push for balanced fertiliser use and soil health [User excerpt].
• Designed to be run jointly by Panchayats, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), ICAR, and state governments, with coordination sought "from Panchayat to State" level [User excerpt].
• Preceded conceptually by the 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan', another ICAR/Ministry-led farmer outreach campaign under the same Minister [S9, search result].
• Implementation escalated from launch (June 1–30, 2026) → progress review (2.712 crore citizens reached) → state-level concluding ceremonies (e.g., Haryana) → proposed conversion into a standing national mission [S3][S2][S4].

4. Core Static Facts

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic - Targets rationalising fertiliser subsidy burden by curbing indiscriminate urea/DAP overuse, indirectly easing fiscal pressure on the fertiliser subsidy bill [User excerpt; inference from theme]. - Aims to improve farm input-cost efficiency by promoting soil-test-based dosing rather than blanket application.

Environmental - Directly addresses soil degradation from fertiliser overuse — a long-standing concern in intensively cropped states like Punjab, Haryana, western UP [S1 theme]. - Promotes green manuring, bio-fertilisers, and organic inputs as substitutes/supplements to chemical fertilisers, aiding sustainable agriculture [S1]. - Sikkim leg branded around "Sustainable Hill Agriculture", showing region-specific environmental framing [S1, search result].

Administrative / Governance - Explicitly designed as a multi-tier federal exercise — Panchayat to State coordination, involving CMs, Ministers, MPs, MLAs, and public representatives [User excerpt]. - Combines awareness generation with simultaneous delivery of scheme benefits, i.e., used as a vehicle for last-mile scheme convergence [User excerpt]. - Relies on decentralised execution via KVKs and ICAR field units (e.g., CIPMC Shillong, ICAR-NRCO Pakyong) for local activities [S1, search results].

Social - Farmer-facing outreach model intended to function as a "mass movement" rather than a top-down directive, per the Minister's framing [User excerpt]. - Targets direct farmer engagement at scale (lakhs of farmers trained/sensitised) rather than only policy notification [S1][S2].

Scientific/Technological - Anchored in soil-test-based advisory — linking soil health cards / soil testing infrastructure to fertiliser recommendation [User excerpt]. - ICAR scientists directly deployed in special campaign teams, embedding research inputs into field extension [S1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• June 1–30, 2026: Nationwide campaign window observed across all districts [S1].
• June 3, 2026: Formal launch by Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan at Raisen, MP, alongside foundation-laying of a model Agricultural Science Centre [S3].
• Mid-2026: Progress release stating 2.712 crore citizens reached, 7.17 lakh farmers sensitised (PRID 2264122) [S2].
• 2026: Multiple localized ICAR/KVK events under the Abhiyan banner — e.g., Sikkim (Lingdum, East Sikkim; Lashithang and Ganchung villages, Pakyong) and CIPMC Shillong crop-protection awareness programme [S1, search results].
• Post-June 2026: Minister attended the concluding ceremony in Haryana with CM Nayab Singh Saini; announced conversion of the campaign into a long-term national mission (PRID 2279405) [S4][S2].

7. Prelims Hooks

• 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' was conducted nationwide from June 1 to June 30, 2026 [S1].
• The campaign was launched by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Raisen, Madhya Pradesh [S3].
• Nodal focus: balanced/judicious use of fertilisers based on soil-test results [User excerpt].
• Slogan/theme associated: "Less fertiliser, right fertiliser, right advice" [User excerpt].
• Implementing agencies include ICAR, KVKs, Panchayats, and State Governments [User excerpt].
• The campaign deployed 1,650+ field teams and 500+ special campaign teams with ICAR scientists [S1].
• Progress data cited: 2.712 crore citizens reached; 7.17 lakh farmers sensitised [S2].
• 12,979 awareness camps/seminars and 7,928 field demonstrations were conducted under the campaign [S1].
• Field demonstrations focused on green manuring, bio-fertilisers, and organic sources [S1].
• The Minister announced the Abhiyan will evolve into a long-term national mission, not remain a one-time campaign [S2].
• The Sikkim edition of the campaign in 2026 was themed around "Sustainable Hill Agriculture" [S1, search].
• The campaign's concluding ceremony (one state instance) was held in Haryana with CM Nayab Singh Saini [S4].
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare — NOT Ministry of Rural Development or Environment [User excerpt].
• The Abhiyan is distinct from, but related in spirit to, the earlier 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' [S9, search].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III: Agriculture — issues related to fertiliser subsidy, soil health, sustainable farming practices, and government schemes for farmers.
• GS-II: Governance — federal coordination mechanisms (Panchayat-to-State), delivery of welfare/scheme benefits, mass mobilisation strategy.
• Possible Mains question stems: 1. "Overuse of chemical fertilisers has degraded soil health across India's intensively cropped regions. Discuss the objectives of 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' and evaluate whether awareness-based campaigns can substantively alter farmer fertiliser-use behaviour." (GS-III) 2. "Examine the significance of federal, multi-tier coordination (Panchayat to State) in implementing agricultural extension campaigns in India, with reference to 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan'." (GS-II) 3. "Balanced fertiliser use is often cited as key to both farm sustainability and fiscal prudence. Critically analyse this linkage in the Indian context." (GS-III)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Soil Health Card Scheme — the underlying soil-testing infrastructure that 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' advisory relies upon.
• Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme & Urea Subsidy Policy — the fiscal/subsidy backdrop driving push for balanced fertiliser use.
• Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) — key implementing units for farmer extension work, relevant to this and many other agri-campaigns.
• ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) — parent research body coordinating field demonstrations and scientist deployment.
• PM-AASHA — related farmer income/price-support scheme referenced alongside Chouhan's other review meetings.
• Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan — precedent ICAR/Ministry campaign with similar mass-outreach design.
• Per Drop More Crop / Rainfed Area Development — complementary sustainable-agriculture schemes worth comparing on implementation architecture.
• Nano Urea / Nano DAP — technological innovation angle relevant to "right fertiliser, right advice" theme.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Do not confuse 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' with the 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' — both are Ministry of Agriculture/ICAR campaigns but distinct in name and timeline [S9].
• Do not attribute the scheme to Ministry of Rural Development merely because Chouhan also holds that portfolio — the Abhiyan is an Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Ministry initiative [S3].
• The campaign period is June 1–30, 2026; do not confuse with the launch date (June 3, 2026) at Raisen — launch happened a few days into the campaign window, not on Day 1 [S1][S3].
• Avoid assuming this is a budgetary/statutory scheme with an Act/Article base — it is an administrative awareness campaign, not a legislated scheme.
• Note the numeric figures (2.712 crore citizens reached; 7.17 lakh farmers sensitised) are from a mid/post-campaign progress report, not the original launch announcement — don't conflate launch-day figures with cumulative outcomes [S2].

11. Sources

• [S1] 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' reaches 2.712 Crore Citizens — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2264122&reg=3&lang=1 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' reaches 2.712 Crore Citizens; 7.17 Lakh Farmers Sensitised — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2264122&reg=3&lang=1 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launches Nationwide 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' from Raisen, Madhya Pradesh — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2267507&reg=6&lang=1 — (tier: 1)
• [S4] Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan participates in the concluding ceremony of 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' in Haryana — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2279405&reg=3&lang=1 — (tier: 1)
• [S9] Preparations for 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' in Final Stage — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2131023 — (tier: 1)
• [User excerpt] Press Release Page | Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2266965 — (tier: 1)