The meeting of the state level task force for promotion of zero budget natural farming under 'Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan' scheme was chaired by Chief Secretary B.K Agarwal here today.The Chief Secretary said that the farmers and horticulturists of the state had been using insecticides and pesticides since a long time which resulted in loss of soil fertility resulting in challenge for providing quality products to the consumers. However, the natural farming has proved to be an effective alternative which is helping immensely in reducing the cost of farming and providing remunerative prices to the famers for their produce besides ensuring environment protection.He informed that a target for providing training to around 50 thousand farmers have been set under the scheme during the financial year 2019-20. The block level training camps would be organised in 80 blocks of all the districts of the state during this period. He added that as many as 2669 farmers adopted natural farming in the state during last year.Executive Director of the scheme Dr. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel said that last year, more than 15 thousand farmers were encouraged to adopt natural farming during the training camps organised last year.Additional Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry Sanjay Gupta, Principal Secretary, Agriculture Onkar Chand Sharma, Project Director, Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan scheme Rakesh Kunwar and other senior officers attended the meeting.