Emphasis laid on strengthening rural economy through natural farming: CM
SHIMLA -14 February, 2025-Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that the state government was committed to strengthening the rural economy through sustainable and farmer-friendly policies. The government has taken a pioneering step by becoming the first state in the country to fix the highest support price for wheat and maize under natural farming.
He said that the state government has set a milestone by purchasing wheat at Rs.40 per kg and maize at Rs. 30 per kg from farmers produced through natural farming practices. So far, 398 metric tonnes of naturally grown maize have been procured from 1,508 farmers and Rs. 1.19 crore has been directly transferred to their bank accounts through DBT. He said that to promote natural produce the state government has launched Him Bhog-Him Makki Atta in the market. The government has assured farmers a stable income by committing to purchase up to 20 quintals of maize per family growing produce through natural farming.
Shri Sukhu further said that to encourage farmers to adopt natural farming, the government has started Rajiv Gandhi Natural Farming Start-up Yojana as a part of Rs. 680 crore Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Scheme, which integrates agriculture with employment generation. This year alone, 36,000 farmers have adopted natural farming, adding to the 1.98 lakh farmers already cultivating over 35,000 hectares. The government is providing free certification to 1.50 lakh farmers for making natural farming a commercially viable model.
He said that the government has also launched Rs.1292 crore Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition Project (HP Shiva) to expand horticulture development across seven districts. The initiative would cover 6,000 hectares and would promote the cultivation of fruits like oranges, guavas, litchi and plums. This initiative would benefit over 15,000 farming families directly. He said that under this scheme 1.3 lakh metric tonnes of fruit was expected to be produced annually by 2032 with a market value of Rs. 400 crore. To facilitate the sale of natural farming products and to ensure farmers get fair prices the infrastructure development is underway in 10 market yards.
The Chief Minister said that Himachal has also set a benchmark in the dairy sector by being the first state to fix the minimum support price for milk. Cow milk was being procured at Rs. 45 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs. 55 per litre. A state-of-the-art milk processing plant with a capacity of 50,000 liters per day has been inaugurated in Dattanagar, benefitting over 20,000 dairy farmers and a foundation stone of an Automated Milk Processing Plant has been laid in Dhagwar, Kangra district, with a capacity to process 1.5 to 3 lakh liters of milk per day. Apart from this of milk processing and chilling plants were also being established in Kangra, Kullu, Nahan, Nalagarh, Una and Hamirpur. MILKFED was procuring 2 lakh liters of milk daily and in a pioneering move, goat milk was being purchased at Rs. 70 per litre in Una district.
He said that the state has also launched Rs. 500 crore ‘Him Ganga’ scheme to boost milk production. More than 26,000 below-poverty-line farmers have been benefited over the past two years by providing 50 percent subsidy on feed for pregnant cattle.
The Chief Minister said that the present state government has made major reforms in horticulture such as the introduction of universal cartons for apple growers to enhance marketability. Under the Market Intervention Scheme the government has disbursed, Rs. 153 crore to clear outstanding payments of the horticulturists by the previous BJP government. Minimum support prices for apples, mangoes and citrus fruits have been increased to Rs. 12 per kg, significantly benefiting orchardists," he added.
In order o ensure farm productivity, the government has introduced subsidies up to 70 percent for fencing, 50 percent on seeds for cereals, pulses, oilseeds and fodder crops, and 25 percent for potato, ginger and turmeric seeds. Under the JICA scheme, Rs. 96.15 crore has been spent on awareness and capacity-building programmes through which over 50,000 farmers in the state has been benefitted. Apart from this, Rs. 19.19 crore has been spent to support over 1,000 farmers through fencing projects in just two years," he said.
The Chief Minister said that the holistic approach of present state government towards strengthening agriculture, horticulture and dairy through initiatives like MSP and support for natural farming was playing pivotal role in making the farmers and horticulturists self-reliant and ensuring their prosperous future and setting an example for rural development across India.
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Let us work together to make Himachal Pradesh a clean, green and Sustainable state.
SHIMLA- 14 February, 2025It had come to the notice of the Government of Himachal Pradesh that the current e-waste disposal practices did not align with the “E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016” notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, as well as the guidelines issued by the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB). This highlighted the urgent need for a structured process to ensure compliance with these rules and mitigate the environmental risks posed by the unscientific disposal of e-waste.
Existing Government regulations, such as the “HPF financial Rules, 2009” and provisions in the Office Manual, lacked specific provisions for the scientific disposal of e-waste. These regulations primarily relied on auction procedures that did not guarantee adherence to the “E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016” and associated management standards.
After due consideration of this issue, the Government of Himachal Pradesh, Department of Environment, Science, Technology & Climate Change, has issued an “Office Memorandum (No. STE-F(2)-2/2017-loose, dated 9th December 2024)”. This memorandum mandates that all E-waste generated by Government Departments, Boards, Corporations and Commissions must be disposed of in accordance with “Rule 9 of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016”.
As per this memorandum E-waste must be channelized through authorized collection centers, dealers of producers, dismantlers, recyclers, or designated take-back service providers of producers to authorized dismantlers or recyclers. Only authorized e-waste collection centers, dealers of producers, dismantlers, or recyclers registered with the “HP State Pollution Control Board” or the “Central Pollution Control Board” will be permitted to participate in the auction process for e-waste.
In this context, the Department appeals to all Government Departments, Boards, Corporations, Commissions, NGOs, and the citizens of Himachal Pradesh to actively participate in keeping the environment clean and free from the harmful effects of e-waste. E-waste must be handed over only to authorized recycling centers.
E-waste contains toxic components that can harm the environment and public health if not managed properly. To minimize the risks, it is crucial to dispose of e-waste responsibly by following established guidelines and recycling mechanisms.
The Department urges everyone to:
1. Avoid dumping e-waste in open spaces or with general waste.
2. Hand over e-waste only to authorized recycling centers.
3. Spread awareness about the importance of e-waste management within their
Communities.
4. Ensure that all Government Departments, Boards, Corporations, and Commissions
Strictly adhere to the instructions outlined in the aforementioned Office Memorandum.
Let us work together to make Himachal Pradesh a clean, green and Sustainable state.
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Outdated medical equipment to be replaced to ensure better healthcare for patients
State government to invest Rs. 1800 crore in State-of-the-Art medical equipment
SHIMLA -14 February, 2025-The obsolete medical machinery and equipment, some of which have been in use for 30 to 40 years in government hospitals, will soon be replaced as the state government has allocated approximately Rs. 1800 crore for this purpose. Delays in treatment often worsen a patient’s condition and increase medical expenses. Studies indicate that late diagnosis can raise medical costs by 30–50% for a patient. Considering the challenges being faced by patients due to old medical machines, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed their replacement to provide better healthcare facilities to them, as the previous governments failed to address the issue. In line with these directives, the health department has prepared a project report to offer world-class healthcare services in government health institutions.
The state government will work on four key aspects to revamp public healthcare institutions. First, robotic surgery will be introduced in all medical colleges, along with state-of-the-art radiology and laboratory equipment. Every medical college will be equipped with 3-Tesla MRI machines, 256-slice high-end CT scan machines, PET scan machines, and other advanced diagnostic tools to ensure timely detection of diseases and accurate treatment of the patients. Additionally, modular operation theatres will be set up in these institutions.
Secondly, Himachal Pradesh currently lacks a modern and well-equipped cancer hospital, forcing patients to seek treatment outside the State. To address this, the government will establish a 150-bed Cancer Care Center in Hamirpur, offering advanced treatment facilities such as radiation therapy and nuclear medicines, which would prove to be a milestone in the fight against cancer within the state.
Thirdly, healthcare services will be expanded across 69 government health institutions, including zonal, regional and district hospitals, along with the community health centers (CHCs). Depending on their category, these hospitals will be equipped with fully or semi-automated laboratories, digital X-ray machines, high-end ultrasound machines, ICUs, and operation theatres. Additionally, efforts will be made to digitize government health institutions to enhance patient care.
According to health department data, 9.5 lakh patients travel outside Himachal Pradesh annually for treatment, resulting in an economic loss of Rs. 1350 crore to the state’s GDP. If quality healthcare services are made available within the state, it is estimated that Rs. 550 crore of the state GDP could be saved annually, along with valuable time for patients. The Chief Minister has instructed the health department to ensure that patients receive high-quality treatment within the state and to implement the plan in a time-bound manner.