Panel clears hemp farming, Himachal Pradesh eyes Rs 500 crore fiscal 'high'

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, September 22

The legal cultivation of cannabis in Himachal for non-narcotic purpose has inched closer to reality with a committee constituted by the government to look into the contentious issue recommending the farming under stringent regulations. The committee, headed by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, submitted its report to CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who tabled it in the Vidhan Sabha today.

Non-narcotic uses

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• Food, textiles, paper, construction material, furniture, cosmetics, biofuels, healthcare products
• Cannabidiol compounds effective in treating cancer, epilepsy, chronic pain

The panel members visited Uttarakhand, MP and J&K where the cultivation has been legalised. “The committee has recommended cultivation for industrial and medicinal purpose under Section 10 and 14 of the NDPS Act. The step will not only benefit farmers economically, but also generate about Rs 500 crore revenue for the government,” said Negi. Cannabis is grown illegally in HP’s Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and Shimla. It’s used for narcotics and checking the menace has remained a challenge for the police. Dispelling misuse fears, the minister said the NDPS Act, 1985, would have to be amended before issuing permits for the farming.

Panel recommends…

• Amendments to the NDPS Act, 1985; developing SOPs for cultivation; and forming a state-level authority to function as single window system
• Creation of seed banks and a fund for research, development
• Specialised excise staff for regulation, monitoring

Key challenges

• Procuring of hemp seeds with 0.3% or less THC content
• Strict monitoring for ensuring it isn’t misused for narcotics
• Setting up of specialised labs to develop quality seeds