2.22 lakh farmers have adopted natural farming: Vikramaditya

As many as 2.22 lakh farmers have already adopted natural farming that was introduced in the state in 2018, said Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh while addressing villagers attending a Kisan Sammelan at Hashkardhar in Chanawag, one of the remotest panchayat of the Shimla (Rural) Assembly constituency, today.

He added that the government was making efforts to motivate farmers and gardeners to adopt modern agricultural techniques, grow cash crops and switch to natural farming.

The minister said that the government was promoting natural farming to empower farmers economically. He added that Rs 5.50 crore had been spent on encouraging farmers to adopt modern farming, benefiting about 35,000 of them. “As many as 50 clusters are operational in Shimla district under which 3,734 hectares have been brought under natural farming. Out of it, 540 hectares in the Shimla (Rural) Assembly constituency has been covered under natural farming,” he added.

He said that around Rs 18 lakh had been approved for the development of Chanawag panchayat.