₹2,000 Crore to Be Invested in Strengthening Agriculture and Horticulture: CM Sukhu

Shimla, April 24 – Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that the state government will invest ₹2,000 crore this financial year to strengthen the agriculture and horticulture sectors and bolster the rural economy.

Chairing a high-level meeting with senior officials from agriculture, horticulture, and allied departments, the Chief Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to building a robust value chain—from processing to marketing—for agricultural and horticultural produce. He also highlighted ongoing efforts to innovate in the dairy sector.

CM Sukhu noted the vital role of livestock in enhancing rural livelihoods and said that the Him Ganga Yojana, aimed at boosting dairy development, has been launched on a pilot basis in Hamirpur and Kangra districts. Additionally, Milkfed has set up 120 automated and 32 digital milk collection centers across Mandi, Kullu, and Shimla districts to improve dairy infrastructure.

In a push for natural farming, the Chief Minister announced that the government has fixed support prices for turmeric, wheat, and maize grown under natural farming practices at ₹90, ₹60, and ₹40 per kilogram, respectively. The state aims to bring one lakh new farmers under the natural farming umbrella this year, with all participating households to be integrated into the ‘Him Parivar’ register.

The meeting was also attended by Agriculture Minister Prof. Chander Kumar, Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi, MLA Ashish Butail, Milkfed Chairman Buddhi Singh Thakur, Secretary of Animal Husbandry Ritesh Chauhan, Milkfed Managing Director Vikas Sood, and other senior officials.