New Grazing Policy 2026- restores faith in pastoral traditions
2 min readSHIMLA 12 June, 2026
To improve the livelihoods of Graziers and to strengthen the rural economy of the State, the State Government has given its nod to Himachal Pradesh Grazing Policy, 2026 by reforming pastoral governance to align with ecological resilience and economic empowerment. Driven by the vision of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, this landmark policy shifts the state away from rigid, static restrictions and introduces a dynamic, science-based approach that views responsible grazing as a tool to sustain grassland productivity, enhance soil carbon stocks and preserve biodiversity.
Under the Policy the Forest Department, in close coordination with the Department of Animal Husbandry, would develop a comprehensive database portal where graziers would register their names, addresses, livestock counts, traditional routes and halting grounds within the next six months. This system bridges an ancient way of life with modern governance by linking every profile to Aadhaar, Him Pariwar and the central Bharat Pashudhan portal to seamlessly verify user data. Crucially, the policy acknowledges the generations of pastoralists who have operated without formal permits; these individuals can now register their details, allowing local grazing advisory committees to systematically evaluate their status and issue new permits based on fair, codified legal procedures.
The allocation of these new grazing rights would follow a meticulous scientific process rather than administrative guesswork. Future permits would be granted after evaluating pasture availability, forest carrying capacity, the needs of dependent wildlife species and the customary grazing rights of local populations. To ensure the long-term regeneration of the state’s forest compartments, the policy introduces structured rotational grazing. Decisions would be decentralized through localized grazing advisory committees comprises of migratory and local graziers, panchayat representatives and experts from universities and the Wool Federation. Meeting under the chairmanship of the Conservator of Forests and District Forest Officers, these bodies would review permits every five years based on highly adaptable, seasonal metrics of ecological availability, eliminating previous jurisdictional confusion across forest divisions.
