Himachal Pradesh: Education Minister Rohit Thakur Slams BJP’s Neglect of Farmers, Highlights Congress’s Proactive Measures

Himachal Pradesh: Education Minister Rohit Thakur Slams BJP’s Neglect of Farmers, Highlights Congress’s Proactive Measures

Education Minister Rohit Thakur has strongly criticized the previous BJP-led government in Himachal Pradesh for allegedly neglecting the interests of farmers and horticulturists, particularly in addressing GST concerns on cartons and trays crucial for fruit packaging. He pointed out that during the tenure of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, the GST on cartons remained high at 18 percent, significantly impacting the cost structure for farmers. In contrast, the current Congress government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has taken proactive steps to alleviate these issues. This includes reducing the GST on cartons from 18 percent to 12 percent, a move championed by Sukhu and Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan. Thakur highlighted other initiatives such as reinstating subsidies on insecticides and pesticides, critical for horticulturists, and launching the Rs. 680 crore “Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Start-up Yojana” to promote chemical-free farming, benefiting 36,000 farmers so far. The government has also bolstered the dairy sector by setting the MSP for cow and buffalo milk at Rs. 45 and Rs. 55 per litre respectively, and initiated the ‘Him-Ganga’ scheme to establish an automated milk plant in Kangra district. Additionally, Rs. 531 crore has been allocated for irrigation schemes and high-density fruit tree plantations, with Rs. 153 crore disbursed under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to support farmers directly. The Congress government has increased support prices for apples, mangoes, and citrus fruits, and established 343 procurement centres, procuring 5,276 metric tonnes of fruits valued at Rs. 63.30 crore. Thakur emphasized the establishment of new Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage facilities to enhance fruit shelf life, and the introduction of universal carton standards to reduce transport damage and improve market competitiveness. This contrasted sharply with the BJP’s alleged failure to implement similar farmer-friendly policies. Overall, Thakur underscored the Congress government’s commitment to agricultural welfare through practical initiatives and effective disaster relief efforts, ensuring sustainable growth and resilience in Himachal Pradesh’s farming communities.

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