State to spend Rs 1,010 cr on crop diversification drive

The Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister of Himachal Pradesh Chandra Kumar said that the state government is spending Rs 1,010.60 crore in the hill state under the Himachal Pradesh Crop Diversification Promotion Project (Phase-II) funded by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency).

The objective of the project is to promote crop diversification in all districts of Himachal Pradesh by development and rehabilitation of minor irrigation facilities and access farm roads as well as by marketing promotion and improvement of extension services, thereby contributing to improvement of livelihood of farmers.

The minister was addressing a public gathering after laying the foundation stone of the Triambla-Ola Kuhal runoff irrigation project worth Rs 91.65 lakh at Dadhamb in Shahpur Assembly constituency. He said that under the project, 296 irrigation sub-projects and 10 convergence irrigation sub-projects were being implemented to develop irrigation infrastructure over 7,933 hectares of cultivable land across the state.

Through the District Project Management Unit, Palampur, a total of 102 sub-projects worth Rs 221 crore were being implemented in Palampur, Dehra, Shahpur, Jawali and Chamba blocks of Kangra and Chamba districts, creating irrigation potential for 3,923.01 hectares of farmland.

He added that Kisan Vikas Sanghs, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) will be formed to strengthen collective efforts of farmers to enhance their income. “Landless families will also benefit through livelihood improvement activities such as dairy, beekeeping, poultry and mushroom cultivation, and fisheries,” he said.

Urging the farmers to insure their crops and obtain Kisan Credit Cards, the minister said crop diversification was  government priority to ensure sustainable growth in farmers’ income. He encouraged farmers to make full use of their cultivable land, calling agriculture “a healthy exercise and a dignified means of livelihood.”

The Shahpur MLA and Deputy Chief Whip of the Congress party in Vidhan Sabha Kewal Singh Pathania said that under JICA, Rs 6.75 crore was being spent on various sub-projects in Shahpur constituency, which will irrigate 342.83 hectares of land belonging to 1,510 farmers’ families. The Triambla Kuhal alone will benefit 230 farmers, covering 63.50 hectares of farmland, he said. He urged the minister to strengthen the department’s technical wing to ensure quality in construction works.

Meanwhile, the minister also honoured nine progressive farmers and distributed relief cheques under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

The Joint Director of Agriculture Department Dr Rahul Katoch, District Project Manager Dr Yoginder Pal were also present on the occasion.