Himachal govt to launch Rs 500-crore Him Ganga scheme

The Himachal Pradesh government will launch a Rs 500-crore Him Ganga scheme to promote dairy business in the the state, agriculture and animal husbandry minister Chandra Kumar said on Saturday. Kumar, who was the chief guest at a district level function organised at Dharamshala in Kangra district on Himachal Day, said that Him Ganga scheme is being started to develop the system of milk-based business in the state. Through this scheme, quality improvement will be done in the system of milk procurement, processing, and marketing. The government will buy cow milk from farmers at Rs 80 per kilogramme and buffalo milk at Rs 100 per kg for the production of different milk products, the minister said. He said that the government is working to change the structure of agriculture and animal husbandry to strengthen the farmers’ community. “It is our endeavour to encourage organic farming by reducing the use of chemicals in crops,” he said. Kumar said that a tourism development scheme is also being started in the state with the help of Asian Development Bank at a cost of Rs 1,311 crore. This will give new wings to tourism in the state, he said, adding that chief minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has announced plans to develop Kangra district as tourism capital. Work is being done to develop tourism facilities like zoo park, golf course in Kangra, he added.