Himachal aims to double income of farmers by 2022
Shimla, July 1: Himachal Pradesh's BJP government has launched various schemes to enable the state's farmers to double their income by 2022, an official said on Sunday.
Three irrigation schemes -- Jal Se Krishi Ko Bal, Flow Irrigation Scheme and Solar Irrigation Scheme -- have been launched with sanctioned outlays of Rs 250 crore, Rs 150 crore and Rs 200 crore respectively for this purpose, a government spokesperson said.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Irrigation Scheme, new units of 111 minor irrigation schemes have been set up with a budgetary provision of Rs 338 crore. The first instalment of Rs 49 crore in the form of central assistance has already been received.
Simultaneously, a sum of Rs 277 crore has been set aside for the development of small irrigation schemes in the hill state.
The state has already sent a proposal entailing an expenditure of Rs 800 crore to the Central government to strengthen irrigation facilities and to repair old irrigation and drinking water sources.
The government has also reduced electricity tariff for irrigation from Re 1 per unit to 75 paise per unit, which will facilitate lakhs of farmers, said the spokesperson.
The Cabinet had approved guidelines for the implementation of the Prakritik Kheti-Khushaal Kisan scheme under which the income of farmers will increase through natural farming and a provision of Rs 25 crore has been made for its implementation.
This scheme will give a new direction to natural agriculture and farmers will get encouraged to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers. State agricultural universities will prepare a package of practices for implementation of the scheme.
The state has also taken a decision to bring more areas under fruit and vegetable production.
Currently, the Japan International Cooperation Agency has been providing assistance of Rs 321 crore to the state under a crop diversification project for enhancing the socio-economic conditions of farmers in Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Una districts.
Now, the second phase of this scheme will be implemented in all 12 districts at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.
Himachal Pradesh is the only state where 89.96 per cent of its population lives in rural areas and dependence on agriculture and horticulture is much higher compared with other states.
There is a vast scope in agriculture and horticulture in the state, with 62 per cent people getting employment in the agriculture sector. About 10 per cent of the State Gross Domestic Product comes from agriculture and related sectors.
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No stone pelter, terrorist will be released in J-K: Amit Shah
Nowshera (J-K) (PTI): Talking tough on terror, Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said no stone pelter or terrorist will be released in Jammu and Kashmir and there will be no talks with Pakistan till terrorism is wiped out.
At an election rally in Nowshera in support of J-K BJP president Ravinder Raina, the senior BJP leader said he would like to talk to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, whom he referred to as "lions".
“They (NC-Congress alliance) want to release stone pelters and terrorists (after formation of their government as promised in their manifesto). Farooq Abdullah is talking about revival of terrorism in Jammu hills but I want to tell them that this is Modi government and we will bury terrorism in ‘patal’ (deep inside earth). No terrorist or stone pelter will be released,” he said.
Shah said the NC and Congress are batting for talks with Pakistan.
“I want to tell Farooq Abdullah and Rahul Gandhi that there will be no dialogue with Pakistan till terrorism is wiped out. I will talk with my lions (youth of J-K) and not with Pakistan.”
Referring to underground bunkers constructed by the government for the safety of border residents over the years, he said there will be no need for such structures as “nobody has the power to open fire” from across the border.
“If they fire a bullet, we will respond with a shell,” he said.
He also slammed the NC-Congress leaders' remarks on reservation, and said nobody will be allowed to touch reservation given to deprived sections, including Paharis, Gujjars, Dalits, other backward classes.
“Rahul Gandhi is saying in Amercia that there is no need for reservation. I want to tell him that you will not be allowed to finish reservation for the deserving communities,” he said.
