Education Minister Rohit Thakur Praises Proactive Measures for Farmers and Horticulturists
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Shimla, 25th June 2024 – Education Minister Rohit Thakur has accused the previous BJP State government of neglecting the interests of farmers and horticulturists in Himachal Pradesh. Highlighting the shortcomings of the Jai Ram government, Thakur emphasized their failure to provide relief to fruit growers and reduce GST on cartons.
Minister Thakur praised the current state government under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for its proactive and farmer-friendly initiatives. The reduction of GST on cartons from 18% to 12%, driven by the efforts of Chief Minister Sukhu and Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, stands as a significant achievement for the state’s horticulturists.
The Minister noted that the BJP government kept the GST on cartons at 18%, leading to increased prices for cartons and trays, and failed to address farmers’ concerns with the Central government. In contrast, the Congress government has reinstated the crucial insecticide and pesticide subsidy, supporting the agricultural and horticultural sectors.
Key initiatives launched by the current government include the Rs. 680 crore “Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Start-up Yojana” promoting chemical-free farming, benefiting 36,000 farmers, and the e-udyan portal aiding 28,358 horticulturists. Additionally, a processing plant worth over 100 crores has been dedicated to farmers.
The Congress government has implemented the sale of apples by weight and measures to boost animal husbandry. Notably, the MSP for cow milk is now Rs. 45 per litre and buffalo milk Rs. 55 per litre, making Himachal Pradesh the only state purchasing milk at MSP. The ‘Him-Ganga’ scheme includes a fully automated milk plant in Kangra district.
In the horticulture sector, a budget of Rs. 531 crore has been allocated for irrigation schemes and high-density sub-tropical fruit tree plantations. Rs. 153 crore have been disbursed to farmers under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), clearing Rs. 90 crore pending from the previous government.
Support prices for various fruits have been increased, with apples and mangoes rising by Rs. 1.50 per kilogram, and citrus fruits like kinnow, malta, and oranges seeing a Rs. 2.50 increase, now at Rs. 12 per kilogram. Lemon and galgal support prices have also risen to Rs. 10 per kilogram. The establishment of 343 procurement centres has facilitated the procurement of 5,276 metric tonnes of fruits worth Rs. 63.30 crore.
The Congress government’s disaster relief efforts include Rs. 110 crore for restoring roads in apple-producing areas and Rs. 12.92 lakh distributed to growers for monsoon damage. Eight new Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage facilities have been established to enhance fruit shelf life and reduce post-harvest losses.
Minister Thakur concluded by contrasting the BJP’s inaction with the Congress’s practical solutions, ensuring better prices and competitiveness for farmers in both domestic and international markets.
