An area of about 20,000 hectare would be covered under the subtropical fruits with assured irrigation facilities and complete fencing of fields once the Rs 1688 crore Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition Project (HPSHIVA) which has been approved by the Government of India and also approved by the ADB for external funding takes off in the State. This was stated by the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while addressing the meeting with the ADB representatives and senior officers of the IPH and Horticulture Departments here today.Chief Minister said that ADB has sanctioned three projects viz. HPSHIVA, Integrated Mushroom Development Project worth Rs 423 crore and Doubling Farmers Income through Water Conservation worth Rs 4751 crore. He said that under the Phase-I worth Rs 708.87 crores as many as 53 water conservation structures would be constructed in different parts of the State for creating irrigation potential of 6853 hectare. He said that this would go long way in visualising the dream of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to double the income of the farmers by the year 2020.Jai Ram Thakur said that the Rs 1688 crore HPSHIVA would generate sustainable livelihood opportunities for the rural people benefitting about 50000 farmer families in the State. He said that similarly the Rs 423 crore Mushroom Development Project would be significant in providing self employment avenues for the women, unemployed youth and landless farmers.
Chief Minister thanked the ADB team members for their full cooperation and expressed hope that the ADB would continue to extend its support in effective implementation of these projects in the entire State in a time bound manner. He also assured full cooperation from the State Government for time bound implementation of these projects. Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahender Singh Thakur said that doubling the Farmer Income Project would not only help in enhancing the sustainability of water resources through water consternation interventions, but also double the farmer's income. He said that the Project would focus on reducing the impacts of climate change on water resources, ensure sustainable irrigation with enhanced adaptive capacity of about one million small and marginal farmers of the State. Secretary IPH Devesh Kumar while welcoming the Chief Minister and other dignitaries said that the projects on completion were going to transform the economy of the State. Project Officer and Head ADB Mission Ms Sunae Kim assured the Chief Minister for ensuring full support for effective implementation of these projects in the State. Additional Chief Secretary Horticulture R.D. Dhiman, Engineer-in-Chief IPH Vikrant Suman, Director Horticulture Dr. M.L Dhiman, Horticulture Expert Geoff Dyce, Climate Change and Environment Specialist Jim Smyle, Water Resources Expert David Meigh and senior officers of were present on the occasion among others.