Himachal CM discusses natural farming with Art of Living founder

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today met founder of Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravishankar at Bengaluru and discussed possibilities of promoting natural farming and ensuring the protection and welfare of stray cattle in Himachal.

The Chief Minister also interacted with people from Himachal Pradesh working at the ashram, enquired about their wellbeing and participated in ‘gau seva’. The CM said that the state government is actively encouraging farmers across the state to adopt natural farming practices. He said the government is providing minimum support price (MSP) for crops grown through natural farming methods, which is benefiting both farmers and consumers by ensuring better returns and promoting chemical-free produce.

Sukhu further said that under the Gopal Yojana, the state government has increased financial assistance for stray cattle housed in private cow shelters from Rs 700 to Rs 1,200 per cattle per month. He said that several new measures for the rehabilitation and welfare of stray cattle have also been included in the state Budget 2026-27.

The Chief Minister said that the state government has established several large cow shelters and cow sanctuaries in recent years. He said that reputed voluntary organisations, NGOs and interested industrial groups would also be allowed to adopt government-run cow shelters and cow sanctuaries to further strengthen cattle welfare initiatives. Ravishankar appreciated the efforts of the Himachal Pradesh Government towards promoting natural farming and for the welfare of cattle in the state.