Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu virtually inaugurated and laid foundation stones of development projects worth Rs 34.31 crore at Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry on Sunday.
Inaugurated Projects
The CM inaugurated a hostel with a capacity of 107 students at the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri in Hamirpur district. The hostel was constructed at a cost of Rs 3.63 crore. He also inaugurated the administrative building of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Tabo, Lahaul and Spiti, built at a cost of Rs 1.48 crore.
Foundation Stones Laid
Sukhu laid foundation stones for working women's hostels, each with a capacity of 50 persons, at the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri and at the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Khaggal. These hostels will be built at a cost of Rs 8.57 crore and Rs 8.68 crore, respectively, in Hamirpur district.
A foundation stone for a working women's hostel with a capacity of 100 persons was also laid at the main campus of Dr Y S Parmar University at Nauni, Solan. The hostel will be constructed at a cost of Rs 11.95 crore.
Focus on Natural Farming
The Chief Minister stated that natural farming is the future of Himachal Pradesh and the state government is actively promoting it. He emphasized that the university has a vital role in encouraging farmers to adopt natural farming practices.
Sukhu noted that despite the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant by the central government, the state is making sustained efforts to strengthen education, healthcare, and the rural economy, ensuring adequate funding for these sectors.
He informed that more than two lakh farmers associated with natural farming have been registered, out of which around 1.98 lakh have already been issued certificates.
Agriculture as Economic Backbone
Agriculture remains the state's economic backbone, as nearly 90% of the population resides in rural areas and about 53.95% depend directly on agriculture for their livelihood, said the CM. Keeping this in view, the state government is committed to implementing progressive policies and farmer-friendly initiatives to strengthen the rural economy, he added.
