Chief Secretary presides over Governing Council meeting of HPHDP

Chief Secretary R.D. Dhiman presided over the Governing Council meeting of Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project (HP HDP) held here today.  

Appreciating the progress of the project, the Chief Secretary directed to expedite the various activities of the project, construction of community irrigation facilities, projects being implemented by HPMC and State Agricultural Marketing Board.
He directed the department to produce more and more quality saplings in the nurseries of the department to reduce dependence on imported plants and to provide high quality plants at cheap prices. He said that training and skill development of the technical staff working in the nurseries of the Horticulture Department should be ensured to maintain high quality of the nurseries.

Secretary Horticulture Amitabh Awasthi detailed about the project. He said that the total cost of the project was Rs. 1066 crore and out of it about Rs. 644 crore has been spent so far.

Project Director Sudesh Kumar Mokta told about the various activities being implemented under the project. He said that about 30 lakh saplings have been imported under the project so far and 5 to 6 times the yield has been obtained from the plants planted in the Horticulture University. He said that the work of irrigation projects was in progress in 216 clusters under the project.

He said that CA stores, grading lines and fruit processing units were being constructed and upgraded in 15 units of HPMC under the project. He informed that nine Mandis (markets) were being constructed and upgraded under the project by the State Agricultural Marketing Board.

Principal Secretary (Forests) Rajneesh and Director Horticulture Dr. R.K. Pruthi and other senior officers were also present in the meeting.