Rs. 2,000 Crore to Strengthen Agriculture and Horticulture Sectors in Himachal: CM Sukhu.
Government to Boost Rural Economy with Focus on Infrastructure, Dairy, and Natural Farming.
Shimla:
In a major push towards strengthening the rural economy, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that the state government will invest Rs. 2,000 crore during the current financial year to enhance the agriculture and horticulture sectors.
Presiding over a high-level meeting with senior officials from the Agriculture, Horticulture, and allied departments, CM Sukhu emphasized the government’s commitment to developing modern infrastructure for the processing and marketing of agricultural and horticultural produce. He noted that these sectors form the backbone of the rural economy, and the government is working with a forward-looking vision to ensure their sustainable growth.
He further stated that along with these efforts, innovative initiatives are being implemented to improve the dairy sector. “Livestock plays a crucial role in rural development,” he said, highlighting the government’s pilot project, Him Ganga Yojana, launched in the districts of Hamirpur and Kangra to support the dairy industry. Additionally, Milkfed has set up 120 automated and 32 digital milk collection units in Mandi, Kullu, and Shimla districts, aimed at streamlining milk procurement and quality control.
To encourage natural farming, the Chief Minister announced Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for crops grown under natural methods. The MSP for turmeric has been set at Rs. 90 per kilogram, wheat at Rs. 60, and maize at Rs. 40 per kilogram. The government also plans to onboard one lakh new farmers into natural farming this year, all of whom will be registered under the Him Parivar Register to ensure structured support and benefits.
Also present at the meeting were Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi, MLA Ashish Butail, Milkfed Chairman Bhudhi Singh Thakur, Secretary of Animal Husbandry Ritesh Chauhan, and Milkfed Managing Director Vikas Sood, along with other senior officials.
The meeting highlighted the state government’s integrated and inclusive approach to empower farmers and strengthen the rural economy through infrastructure development, support pricing, and technological advancements in agriculture and allied sectors.
