Latest news with #HimachalDay
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
In Himachal Pradesh, farmers to get MSP for naturally grown wheat, turmeric from May 15
Shimla: In an initiative to expand farmers' revenue sources by encouraging them to adopt low-cost, non-chemical, natural-farming techniques, the Himachal Pradesh govt will, from May 15, start procurement of naturally grown wheat at the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 60 per kg and raw turmeric at Rs 90 per kg through the Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana (PK3Y). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The state govt is also carrying out evaluations in the tribal Pangi Valley in Chamba district for the procurement of naturally grown barley at the MSP of Rs 60 per kg, as the sowing season has just started here. Pangi will become the first natural farming sub-division of the state, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had announced at a Himachal Day function in Pangi on April 15. Farmers have been identified for the procurement of wheat and raw turmeric produced through natural farming, said secretary (agriculture) C Paulrasu. The MSP fixed by the state govt for naturally grown maize, wheat, raw turmeric, and barley is the highest in the country for these crops, he added. The officer said the agriculture department has already initiated the process to certify Pangi as a natural farming sub-division, and a committee has been constituted by PK3Y for the survey in Pangi for large area certification under the participatory guarantee scheme (PGS). Last year, the PK3Y procured 399 metric tonnes (MT) of naturally grown maize grains from 1,509 CETARA-NF certified farmers in the state, which were processed into flour and sold under the brand name Him Bhog Makki Atta through the food and civil supplies corporation. At present, 3.06 lakh farmers in Himachal have been trained in the natural-farming technique, out of which 2.22 lakh are practising it on 38,437 hectares across the hill state. As many as 1.98 lakh farmers have been certified under PK3Y's CETARA-NF for natural farming in Himachal Pradesh.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Himachal's remote Lahaul-Spiti district leads the way in women empowerment
Himachal Pradesh's tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti has demonstrated a distinctiveness surrounding 'women empowerment' – leading the way - all the key positions in its administrative setup are now held by women. Last week, the State government appointed Kiran Bhadana, a 2017-batch IAS officer, as the first woman Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul-Spiti — a tribal district known for its customary exclusion of daughters, particularly married ones, from inheritance rights. This appointment marks a progressive step in a region where traditional norms have long dictated property succession. Interestingly, following this appointment, as many as seven women are now at the helm of governance and administrative affairs in this remote district. The Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, through focused policies has been working to uplift the socio-economic standards of people residing in the tribal and far flung areas of Himachal Pradesh. Holding the policing command of the district is Ilma Afroz (IPS), who is currently the Superintendent of Police, while the constituency is represented by MLA Anuradha Rana, elected during the 2024 bye-elections. Akansha Sharma is the Sub-Divisional Magistrate stationed at Keylong while Shikha Simitia is the Additional Deputy Commissioner at Kaza. Veena Devi is the Chairperson of Zila Parishad. Lahaul and Spiti Assembly constituency and the district both comes under the Mandi parliamentary constituency, which is represented by another woman – actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, who was elected as Member of Parliament in 2022. With a sparse population of around 40,000, including 25,967 voters, Lahaul-Spiti spans an expansive area of 13,814 square kilometers, making it one of the most thinly populated regions in the country. The State government has prioritised development in remote and tribal regions. In a first, 'Himachal Day' was celebrated at Kaza in Spiti Valley, in 2023. Besides, the State also launched the first phase of its flagship programme, the 'Indira Gandhi Pyari Behana Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojna', from Kaza, providing ₹1,500 per month to eligible women above the age of 18. In its outreach to far away areas, the State government celebrated this year's 'Himachal Day at Pangi, another remote region of Chamba district in the State.
