Himachal Government has launched Prakartik Kheti-Khushal Kisan scheme to promote under zero budget farming in the State.
Under this scheme, training and workshops are being organized to make farmers aware about natural farming, said an official spokesman.
To make the input for natural farming, farmers are being given 75 percent subsidy on drums. In addition to this, a provision of assistance upto Rs 50,000 has been made for opening of natural resource stores in each village for the supply of inputs in natural farming, he said.
The spokesman said that the State Government has made a provision of Rs 25 crore for this scheme during current financial year.
He said that the State Government is also giving emphasis on crop diversification to increase the income of farmers in the state. Presently JICA Crop Diversification Scheme is being implemented in five districts of the State at a cost of Rs 300 crores.
The efforts of State Government to promote agriculture and upgrade the economy of the farmers will help in achieving the target of doubling the income of the farmers in Himachal by 2022, he added.
Agriculture and allied sectors have significant contribution in the economy of Himachal Pradesh. This sector contributes about 10 percent in the State's Gross Domestic Product.
The agriculture activities are being carried in 5.42 lakh hectare area in the state.
Vegetable cultivation was carried in 78.680 hectare area in the State in 2017-18, which resulted in 16,91,564 metric tons production. A budget of Rs 688 crores has been allocated for agriculture in the year 2018-19, the spokesman said.
He said that the State Government has also started State Agricultural Mechanization Programme to provide the agricultural machinery at subsidized rate to farmers.