Horticulture team reaches out to the field to implement HP-Shiva project

To effectively implement the Himachal Pradesh government’s ambitious HP-Shiva project and ensure its real benefits reach farmers, the Horticulture Department has intensified field activities. Project teams are visiting farmers’ fields to monitor the quality and progress of various activities, including tree planting.
Horticulture Secretary Dr. C. Paul Rasu has directed officials to ensure that the benefits of the government’s horticulture schemes reach the last farmer in the state. To ensure quality, transparency, and timeliness in the HP-Shiva project, officials have been asked to regularly visit the field and work with farmers.
The Horticulture Secretary stated that the achievements of the HP-Shiva Project should not be limited to government reports, but should be clearly visible in farmers’ fields and their increased income. The trees being planted under the project are important steps toward building a strong foundation for future income, rural employment, and sustainable horticulture.
Project Director Dr. Samir Singh Rana stated that the department’s team is constantly active in the field, and he himself has been personally inspecting the ongoing plantation work under the project in various areas of Kangra and Bilaspur districts for the past three days. During this period, arrangements such as the quality of planting material, the prescribed spacing of plants, land preparation, scientific layout, and irrigation are being reviewed.
It’s worth noting that the Project Director is communicating directly with farmers, listening to their problems and suggestions, and providing necessary technical guidance on the spot. The team’s special emphasis is on using quality planting material and ensuring planting according to scientific standards, so that future productivity of the orchards is not affected.
He explained that the objective of the HP-Shiva project is not limited to tree plantation, but also to increase farmers’ income by developing sustainable and economically profitable fruit orchards. Under this initiative, farmers dependent on traditional farming are being encouraged to adopt fruit-based and diversified horticulture. In the future, special attention will be paid to scientific orchard management, irrigation, plant protection, production and quality improvement, value addition, processing, and improved market linkages.
Dr. Samir Rana stated that the presence of departmental officials in the field is increasing farmers’ confidence, and they are finding solutions to their problems through direct communication with the relevant officials. This is strengthening farmer participation and increasing transparency in project implementation.