Government to study relief for crop damage by wild animals in other states: CM

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that his government would study the compensation system in other states for plants and crops damaged by wild animals. While responding to a question asked by Lahaul-Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana during the Question Hour, the Chief Minister said that at present, there was a provision for compensation only in cases of injury to human beings. She added that the subsidy on some sound and lighting systems would help farmers, as these help in chasing away wild animals.

To Pachhad MLA Reena Kashyap’s question, the Chief Minister said that he had urged Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to include the Chhaila-Neripul-Sanaura road under the Central Road Fund (CRF). He added that instructions had been given to the SP, Sirmaur, and other officers to keep a strict watch on the movement of vehicles with high-load capacity on this road.

To Jaswan-Pragpur MLA Bikram Thakur’s question, the Chief Minister said that in the past two years, 35,240 saplings had been planted in the state through Van Mahotsva. He added that Rs 17.87 lakh was spent on organising Van Mahotsva. “An amount of Rs 14.92 lakh was spent on plantation. The survival rate of these saplings is 60 per cent to 100 per cent. After plantation, the regional staff concerned monitor their growth,” he added.

To Nahan MLA Ajay Solanki’s question, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that the settlement of the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) and Forest Rights Act (FRA) cases in all Assembly constituencies would be expedited so that obstacles in development could be removed.

The Chief Minister said that his government was promoting natural farming in a big way and Himachal would emerge as a leading state in natural farming by 2027. In response to a discussion brought by Jhandutta MLA JR Katwal to formulate a strong and effective policy for the promotion of natural farming in the state, the Chief Minister said that, if necessary, the government would not shy away from cutting MLA Fund to promote natural farming.

Sukhu also announced that a natural farming scheme running in the state would be known as the Rajiv Gandhi Natural Farming Scheme. He added that the government would start a scheme to install mesh fencing in fields to protect crops.

Sukhu said that steps taken by the government to strengthen the rural economy had started showing results, and now money was going into the hands of farmers. Earlier, Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar said that natural farming was being done on 38,437 hectares in the state. Besides, the government was also working to link natural farming with big markets so that farmers doing natural farming could get a fair price for their produce.

MLAs Bhawani Singh Pathania, Dr Hansraj, Vivek Sharma, Indra Dutt Lakhanpal, Kishori Lal, Vinod Sultanpuri, Kewal Singh Pathania and Dalip Thakur also participated in the discussion on the attention motion brought by Katwal.