Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur presided over the launch ceremony of Rs. 1010.60 crore Himachal Pradesh Crop Diversification Promotion Project (HPCDP) Phase-II for the state with the financial assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at Dharamsala today. The Chief Minister said that the State Government is committed to the development of rural areas, as more than 90 percent of the total population lives in these areas and about 70 percent of the population is dependent on the agriculture sector for their livelihood. He said that despite limited financial resources and slowdown due to corona pandemic, the present government has launched several new schemes to promote irrigation, agriculture, horticulture, forestry and allied sectors for all round and equitable development of the state. Jai Ram Thakur said that the second phase of JICA Aided Crop Diversification Project would be implemented in all the 12 districts of the State and this would give a greater boost to the socio-economic status of the farmer families of the State. He said that the first phase of the project is being implemented on a pilot basis in five districts of the state, Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Una since 2011, which has changed the economy of the farmers of the districts. The Chief Minister said that the main objective of this project is to spread a successful model of crop diversification and to increase the vegetable production area in the project area from 2500 hectares to 7000 hectares by 2031. The state government is mobilizing resources for the development of the state from all possible sources like the central government, external funding agencies like JICA, World Bank and Asian Development Bank etc. He said that the State Government considers JICA as the most important source of financial assistance and partner in the development of the State. He said that this area has immense potential for cultivation of off-season vegetables. He said that the State Government has created a strong network of market yards to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers, but there is still a need for many such mandis in the State so that the farmers can get easy access and better prices for marketing their products. . Jai Ram Thakur said that both India and Japan have developed a system of sustainable production instead of bulk production of food grains. He said that the United Nations has also set goals for sustainable development, which are to be achieved by 2030. He said that the Himachal Pradesh government has institutionalized the Sustainable Development Goals by supporting them in the budgetary and planning process and is ready to achieve these goals in record time. The Chief Minister said that the State is grateful to the Government of Japan and the Government of India for paving the way for the prosperity of the farmers of this hill state in the agriculture sector since 2007. He also congratulated the management and staff of JICA project phase for their good work and thanked them for their active support and guidance by sending delegations from several Asian countries to see the project. The Chief Minister assured JICA that the State Government would provide all policy and resource support for the successful implementation of Phase II of the project in the State, which would prove to be a milestone in fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the prosperity of farmers. Will happen. He also suggested to document the success stories of the achievers so that other farmers can be inspired as well. He also urged the farmers to take up the cultivation of non-seasonal crops like cash crops so as to strengthen their economy. He also urged the scientists to take the latest technology to the farmers and the ground level so that the farmers could be benefitted. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the exhibition on this occasion. He also released some publications about the success stories of the first phase of the project on the occasion. A documentary film on Jika was also screened on the occasion. The Chief Minister also honored the progressive farmers Ram Singh, Yangesh Kumar, Kishori Lal, Sandla Devi, Sohan Lal, Baldev Singh, Promila Devi, Summu Kumar, Poornima Kumari, Dulash Thakur and Hoshiar Singh for their outstanding achievements in the JICA project. Agriculture, Rural Development and Panchayati Minister Virendra Kanwar said that due to hilly topography, there is less suitable area for cultivation in the state, so more emphasis should be given on crop diversification to increase the income of the farmers. He said that in the new phase of HPCDP, the JICA loan component would be Rs 807.30 crore, while the state’s share would be Rs 203.30 crore. Saito Mitsunori, Guest of Honor and Chief Representative of JICA-India, said that JICA India is Japan’s largest and oldest development partner. He said that the objective of this project is sustainable and climate friendly agricultural development. He said that projects also have a component of technical solutions. He also gave a presentation on the project. Chief Project Adviser Dr. JC Rana made a presentation regarding this ambitious project
Chief Minister launched agriculture project worth Rs.1010.60 crore for the state
