National Makhana Board was constituted on 14.09.2025 in Bihar with objective to promote the production, processing, value addition, marketing and export promotion of makhana.

The Central Sector Scheme for Development of Makhana was approved on 14.09.2025 with an outlay of ₹ 476.03 crore to support the overall development of the makhana sector. Financial assistance under the scheme is provided to States by the National Makhana Board based on the approved Annual Action Plan (AAP).

The National Makhana Board functions under the administrative control of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. The details of the composition of the National Makhana Board are given at Annexure-I.

The scheme provides support to Makhana farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) for production and productivity enhancement (area expansion, seed production), post-harvest management, processing & value addition, research & development, export promotion, market & brand development, extension activities and capacity building. 

Under the Central Sector Scheme for the Development of Makhana, ₹30 crore was approved for 2025–26 and ₹90 crore for 2026–27. The details of the budget approved to the States under the Central Sector Scheme for Development of Makhana are given at Annexure-II. 

Under the scheme, an additional area of 1,010 hectares has been brought under Makhana cultivation across the states, while 73 hectares have been covered under seed production programme. As per final estimates of the Horticulture Statistics Unit, Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare (DA&FW), India's makhana production increased from 63,910 metric tonnes (MT) with an average productivity of 2.03 MT per hectare in 2024–25 to 80,590 MT with an average productivity of 2.34 MT per hectare in 2025–26 (Second Advance Estimate). 

A total of 89 Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs) were conducted to demonstrate improved production technologies of makhana. Capacity building of farmers was undertaken through seminars, exposure visits and training programmes organized at State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes etc. The State-wise and district wise number of farmers benefitted under the scheme during 2025-26 is given at
Annexure-III. 

Annexure-I

Composition of the National Makhana Board

1. Chairperson;

2. Five members to represent respectively the Ministries/ Departments of the Central Government dealing with Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development, Commerce and Industry, Food Processing Industries and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises;

3. Agriculture Production Commissioner/ Principal Secretary Agriculture, Bihar and two officials from other makhana growing states on rotation basis;

4. Three members to represent makhana growers (to be nominated by Central Government);

5. Two members to represent Makhana Processors/ Exporters (to be nominated by Central Government);

6. Director, ICAR-National Research Centre for Makhana, Darbhanga (Bihar);

7. Director, National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) or his Nominee;

8. Director, ICAR-Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering & Technology (CIPHET), Ludhiana (Punjab);

9. Chairman, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) or his Nominee;

10. Vice-Chancellor of Bihar Agriculture University (BAU), Sabour, Bhagalpur or nominee; and

11. Secretary of National Makhana Board.

Annexure-II

Budget approved for the States under the Central Sector Scheme for Development of Makhana.

S.No.	State	2025-26	2026-27
		Budget Approved	Budget  Approved
1.	Bihar	16.49	52.10
2.	Chhattisgarh	1.78	4.11
3.	Manipur	2.18	3.15
4.	Assam	1.05	2.00
5.	Madhya Pradesh	1.43	2.19
6.	Uttar Pradesh	2.65	10.15
7.	Uttarakhand	0.50	1.00
8.	Jammu & Kashmir	0.41	0.99
9.	West Bengal	-	0.88
10.	Jharkhand	-	3.84

(₹ in crores)

Annexure-III

State-wise and district-wise number of farmers benefitted under Central Sector Scheme for Development of Makhana for the year 2025-2026

S.No.	State	District	Farmers (No.)
1.	Bihar	Bhagalpur	43
		Darbhanga	165
		Katihar	181
		Khagaria	61
		Kishanganj	112
		Madhepura	172
		Patna	5
		Purnia	126
		Saharsa	121
		Supaul	192
Total			1276
2.	Manipur	Bishnupur	199
		Kakching	129
		Thoubal	131
		Imphal West	129
		Imphal East	126
Total			714
3.	Assam	Kamrup Metro	10
		Darrang	1
		Biswanath	1
		Dibrugarh	1
		Sribhumi	20
		Baksa	1
		Morigaon	8
		Dhubri	8
Total			50
4.	Madhya Pradesh	Narmadapuram	380
		Seoni	80
		Panna	76
Total			536
5.	Uttar Pradesh	Mau	100
		Balrampur	200
		Chandauli	201
		Sitapur	100
		Kaushambi	300
		Varanasi	50
		Kushinagar	302
		Jaunpur	50
		Ayodhya	200
		Ballia	50
		Basti	150
		Bhadohi	100
		Azamgarh	50
		Bahraich	250
		Raebareli	200
		Ambedkar Nagar	300
		Sonbhadra	100
		Siddharth Nagar	201
		Barabanki	100
		Deoria	100
		Sant Kabir Nagar	201
		Gorakhpur	301
		Prayagraj	100
		Mirzapur	101
		Gonda	200
Total			4007
6.	Chhattisgarh	Dhamtari	533
		Mahasamund	213
		Balod	209
		Raipur	269
		Durg	352
Total			1576
Grand Total			8159

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(This statement was given by MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 11.08.2026)

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