Agriculture Department Schemes Prove Beneficial for Madan Kumar

Earning ₹5 Lakh Annually through Cash Crops

Solan, September 28, 2024 – The various agricultural schemes launched by the Himachal Pradesh government through the Agriculture Department are significantly benefiting farmers in Chamba district, making them self-reliant. One such success story is that of Madan Kumar, a 45-year-old farmer from Hatheri village in Mangla Panchayat, Chamba district.

For the past five years, under the guidance of the Chamba Agriculture Department, Madan Kumar has shifted to scientific farming methods, incorporating machinery and technology into his agricultural practices. This has led to significant improvements in his income and overall farm productivity. He received a subsidy of ₹7.4 lakh from the department for solar fencing, an irrigation tank, a power tiller, and a brush cutter.

Currently, Madan Kumar grows approximately 10 varieties of cash crops, including tomatoes, cauliflower, radish, spinach, eggplant, and coriander, earning an annual income of around ₹5 lakh. With the help of the irrigation tank, he now has a year-round water supply, allowing him to expand into off-season crops, which fetch higher prices in the market. He also employs local labor, providing around ₹1 lakh in wages annually.

Dr. Kuldeep Singh Dhiman, Deputy Director of Agriculture in Chamba, praised Madan Kumar as an experienced and visionary farmer, serving as an inspiration to unemployed youth in the region. He highlighted the government’s efforts to promote agricultural mechanization and provide subsidies for equipment such as tractors, power weeders, and brush cutters, benefitting numerous farmers across the district.