Innovative effort to promote agriculture in Himachal Pradesh.

July 14, 2022

Various ambitious schemes and programmes are being run by the government for giving a fillip to the agriculture sector, besides strengthening the socio-economic condition of farmers and a provision of Rs 628.52 crore has been made for the agriculture sector in the financial year.
Majority of the population of Himachal Pradesh is dependent on agriculture and allied sectors for their livelihood and this sector is providing direct employment to about 70 percent people.
About 9.44 lakh hectares of land is under cultivation in the state and it contributes about 13.62 percent of the GDP.
Special emphasis is being laid on increasing the production of high value crops by adopting modern Prakritik Kheti, Khushhal Kisan Yojna is being implemented by the state government to encourage natural farming.
The objective of this scheme is to enhance the farmers, income by reducing the cost of crop production and to save the soil and human from the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Rs. 58.46 crore has been spent under this scheme till date.
As many as 1,71,063 farmers have adopted natural farming covering 9,421-hectare area of the state. The state government has set a target of bringing 50 thousand acres of land under natural farming and 50 thousand farmers will be certified as natural farmers during this financial year.
Himachal Pradesh Crop Diversification Promotion Project is being implemented to promote crop diversification in the state. In view of the successful results of JICA phase-1 in the state, JICA phase-2 has also been approved. Under this, a budget of Rs. 1010.13 crore has been proposed.
The State Agricultural Mechanisation Programme for the mechanisation in the agriculture sector is being implemented in the state.