Himachal minister: Govt to launch Rs 680 cr scheme for chemical-free farming

Shimla, June 25

Education Minister Rohit Thakur today claimed that the reduction in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on cartons from 18 per cent to 12 per cent was the outcome of the efforts made by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan. He accused the previous BJP government of neglecting the interests of the farmers and horticulturists.

Subsidy on pesticides restored

The state government has restored the subsidy on insecticides and pesticides that the previous BJP government had discontinued. This subsidy is crucial for horticulturists and its restoration is part of a strategy to support the agriculture and horticulture sectors. Rohit Thakur, Education minister

He said, “The Jai Ram Thakur government had failed to give any relief to fruit growers and it could not even get the GST on cartons reduced during its tenure.” He added the present Congress government had restored the insecticide and pesticide subsidy discontinued by the BJP government. “This subsidy is crucial for horticulturists and its restoration is part of a broader strategy to support the agriculture and horticulture sectors,” he claimed.

The minister said the state government was also launching the Rs 680 crore ‘Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Start-up Yojana’ to promote chemical-free farming and so far 36,000 farmers have adopted this method. “The e-udyan portal was benefiting 28,358 horticulturists and a processing plant costing over 100 crores had also been dedicated to the farmers, which reflect the commitment of the government to ensure welfare of the fruit growers,” said Rohit.

Additionally, he said, measures are underway to boost the animal husbandry sector. “The government has raised the MSP for cow milk to Rs 45 per litre and buffalo milk to Rs 55 per litre, making Himachal the sole state purchasing milk at the MSP. Moreover, the ‘Him-Ganga’ scheme includes establishing a fully automated milk plant in Kangra district to significantly enhance dairy capacity and product diversity for sustained farmer benefits.

The minister said the establishment of eight new Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage facilities had helped in boosting the fruit shelf life and minimising post-harvest losses. “The introduction of the universal carton system standardises fruit packaging, reduces damage during transport, and enhances marketability, ensuring better prices and competitiveness for farmers in domestic and international markets,” he said.