Uttarakhand to introduce contract farming

The Uttarakhand government on Tuesday announced it was introducing contract farming and might inviting private investments for boosting its agriculture and horticulture sectors.

“For the better growth of both agriculture and horticulture sectors, we have decided to introduce contract farming and also invite private investments,” said Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, after a review meeting of the two departments here.

With a series of disasters striking Uttarakhand in the recent past, the government also announced a heavy increase in land compensation for the victims.

“Disasters are common in the hill state but the land compensation was very less. We have decided to increase the compensation very heavily,” Bahuguna said.

The land compensation to victims of hilly areas has been increased from Rs 240 per nali to Rs 2,500 per nali. In the plains, such compensation has been increased from Rs 12,000 per hectare to Rs 1.25 lakh per hectare.

Bahuguna said since both horticulture and agriculture are related departments, the government has decided to have one secretary who will head both the departments.

The chief minister said the government would also modernise mandi samitis and make them hi-tech for the benefit of farmers. Meanwhile, after another review meeting of the medical education department, the CM said a separate directorate will be set up to oversee the medical education in the state.

Bahuguna also said the government has also sanctioned Rs 75 crore each for setting up medical colleges in Almora and Doon.

Bahugunga said his government has decided give “best salaries” to doctors for government medical colleges. “No limit has been kept for doctors’ salaries. The department will decide the salaries which should be better than the market,” Bahuguna said.

A nursing hostel is being built up at Srinagar medical college with a cost of Rs 25 crore. Besides, the government has also decided to set up five more nursing colleges at Pauri, Chamoli, Tehri, Pithoragarh and Almora with a total cost of Rs 100 crore, he said.

He also said the seats of both Guru Ramrai and Jollygrant medical colleges are being increased from 100 to 150.