HimVani
Shimla (Feb 18): ‘Exchange of Notes’ were signed today between the officials of government of Japan and India for implementation of Rs 321-crore Himachal Pradesh Crop-diversification Promotion Project in presence of state Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal at Dharmsala today.
The project will be implemented soon so as to promote crop diversification through development of necessary infrastructure such as irrigation facilities and farm access roads in parallel with technical training for farmers on organic farming, vegetable cultivation, food crops cultivation and post harvest technology. Dhumal said that the state was pursuing for clearance of this project for the last two years so as to fulfill its commitment for improving the economy of the farmers.
Agriculture secretary Ram Subhag Singh said that the project would be implemented by the project management unit, which will be newly established for the project outside the department of agriculture as an autonomous body.
He said that this project would be implemented with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as a comprehensive programme mainly focusing on development of crop diversification model based on activities in one selected pilot sub-project and capacity development of extension officers, who would be deputed for implementation of this project. Singh said that the project would be implemented through People’s Participation Model, i.e. community mobilization and organization of Water User Associations (WUA).
