Pays penalty for delays in solar fencing work: Himachal Minister

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh’s Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi urged the officials to enforce penalties on such firms that are not able to fence the field in the allotted time to work under the HP Shiva Project. Speaking on the occasion of the Governing Council meeting, Negi categorically said that penalties must be enforced as per contractual agreements to ensure timely implementation. He further added that solar fencing is essential for the success of the project.

The ongoing scheme is going on across the seven districts of the state with a total outlay of $163 million (Rs 1,292 crore). Of this, Rs 190 crore has already been spent. The fencing is targeted to cover 2,750 hectares by June 2025, but so far, only 828 hectares have been fenced out of the proposed 4,000 hectares.

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Negi also instructed the Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, to supply high-quality ‘true-to-type’ plum and Japanese fruit (persimmon) plants to farmers. He said the quality of these plants is being verified at the ADB-approved molecular lab in Neri, where even field samples are tested and reports are shared within 7-8 days.

During the meeting, the minister also stressed the creation of a new digital platform under the HP Shiva Project. This platform will provide 75 AI-powered services that will help farmers with how to protect plants, disease and soil management, real-time weather updates, production tracking, and marketing help. This initiative will provide farmers with knowledge of cluster farming, which would provide extra income along with supporting the environment.