SHIMLA -6^th December, 2024

Delegation thanks CM for historic increase in Milk procurement price

A delegation from the Bushahar Dughad Uttpadak Sangh, district Shimla called on Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here today and thanked him for making a historic increase in the procurement price of milk of buffalo and cow. They said that no previous government had taken such significant steps to ensure the welfare of milk producers. They also honoured him with a Himachali cap and shawl on the occasion.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to strengthening the rural economy and said that more initiatives would be taken in the near future to support the farming community.

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SHIMLA - 6^th December, 2024

State Government to launch ‘Himbhog’ maize flour produced through natural farming: CM

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today here said that the state government would soon introduce maize flour produced through natural farming under the brand name ‘Himbhog’.

He said that more than 4,000 quintals of maize have been procured from 1,506 farmer families practicing natural farming across the state, with the exception of the Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts. The highest procurement was done from Solan district (1,140 quintals) followed by Chamba (810 quintals) and Mandi (650 quintals).

He said that Himachal Pradesh was the first state in India to offer the highest Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat and maize. The government was providing Rs. 40 per kilogram for wheat and Rs. 30 per kilogram for maize produced through natural farming. The government was currently promoting natural farming across 35,000 hectares of land which was benefiting 1.98 lakh farmers of the state. Free certification has been provided to over 1.5 lakh farmers and an additional 36,000 farmers were being connected with natural farming.

The Chief Minister said that the state government has strengthened the infrastructure at 10 mandis to facilitate the marketing of natural farming produce so that people do not have to face any inconvenience while selling their produce. He said that the government was also focusing on linking agriculture with employment through phase three of Rajiv Gandhi Startup Yojana started with a budget of Rs. 680 crore.

Emphasizing the importance of agriculture and horticulture in the state’s economy, the Chief Minister said that about 90 percent of population of the state resides in villages. To strengthen the rural economy the government was introducing several initiatives including direct monetary support to farmers.

He said that the government was also purchasing cow milk at Rs. 45 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs. 55 per litre, along with increasing the daily MNREGA wage by Rs. 60 to a historic Rs. 300. All these measures aim to improve the economic well-being of farmers and ensure farming becomes a sustainable source of income.

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SHIMLA -6^th December, 2024

JOA(IT) candidates extend gratitude to CM for declaring their results

A deputation of JOA (IT) post codes 903 and 939 called on Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu at his official residence Oakover here today and thanked him for declaring the results of these post codes.

The Chief Minister said that the State Government was committed to ensure their well-being and during the past two years it has created more than 30,000 posts in the government sector. He said that the previous BJP Government could only provide 20,000 government jobs during its five years of tenure. He said that the present State Government is also focusing on offering self-employment opportunities to the youth of the State.

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SHIMLA-6^th December, 2024

State focuses on waste management in rural areas

Signs MoU with Healing Himalayas Foundation

The State Rural Development Department has entered into a significant partnership with the Healing Himalayas Foundation to enhance waste management systems in designated rural areas across the state. This initiative aims to promote sustainable practices for waste segregation, recycling, and eco-friendly disposal in eco-sensitive and rural regions.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formally signed between the Rural Development Department, Himachal Pradesh and Healing Himalayas Foundation, a non-Governmental organization renowned for its commitment to environmental conservation in mountainous regions.

Raghav Sharma, Director, Rural Development stated that this partnership reflects the Government's commitment to address the challenges of waste management in rural areas with the expertise of Healing Himalayas Foundation and the Department aims at creating a sustainable and scalable model that benefits both communities and the environment.

Pradeep Sangwan, President of Healing Himalayas Foundation expressed gratitude for the opportunity and stated that the foundation is dedicated to protecting the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. This collaboration will strengthen the mission to promote responsible waste management and empower communities to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles.

This initiative marks a significant step towards achieving Himachal Pradesh’s broader goals of sustainable rural development and environmental conservation. By combining the efforts of the Government and an experienced NGO, the State aims to set a benchmark in rural waste management for other regions to emulate.

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SHIMLA -6^th December, 2024

World Bank team leader meets Horticulture Minister

Discusses challenges faced by horticulturists and farmers in state

World Bank team leader Bekzod Shamshiev met Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi here today and held discussions on challenges faced by horticulturists and farmers of the state.

The Minister said that the state government was focusing on providing high-quality plants, better facilities of irrigation, transportation, marketing, storage, better prices of crops and new plantations in place of old plants to the horticulturists. He said that there was a need to prepare an action plan to deal with the challenges faced by the horticulturists from the apple-growing states.

He said that the first phase of the Horticulture Development Project of the World Bank has been completed. In the second phase, activities like horticulture, agriculture and animal husbandry would also be added to this project. He said that a proposal would be prepared with a holistic approach in this regard and sent to the government. The government would take the final decision on this.

Mr. Shamshiev lauded the efforts of the state government and said that Himachal Pradesh has worked in excellent coordination in the Horticulture Development Project and the World Bank was determined to solve the problems of horticulturists and farmers under this project in the future too.

The Horticulture Minister assured him that the state government would provide all possible support to the World Bank.

Secretary Horticulture C. Palrasu, Horticulture Development Project and HPMC MD Sudesh Kumar Mokhta and Director Horticulture Vinay Singh were present in the meeting.

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SHIMLA 6^th December, 2024

Revenue Minister directs to explore potential for Small Hydropower Projects in state

A meeting of the High power committee chaired by Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi was held today to discuss the development of the hydel sector.

The committee reviewed the status of power projects and explored solutions to address the challenges hindering the implementation of small hydropower projects of up to 25 MW.

The Minister said that Himachal Pradesh has vast potential for establishing small hydropower projects. He said that these projects could generate substantial revenue for the state through GST and would also contribute to the socio-economic development of the state. He said that these initiatives would also create employment opportunities and open avenues for enhancing the local economy.

The committee discussed the reasons behind the prolonged delays in operationalising several hydropower projects and provided practical suggestions to expedite their implementation.

Secretary Multipurpose Projects and Energy Rakesh Kanwar, Special Secretary Disaster Management D.C Rana, Director Power Rakesh Kumar Prajapati, Chairman Hydro Power Association Rajesh Sharma, General Secretary HS Thakur, Joint Secretary Ajay Thakur & Managing Director Aastha Project Keshav Reddy, were also present in the meeting.