Nabard releases Rs 155 cr for HP poly houses

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has sanctioned Rs 155 crore for the construction of 16,500 poly houses across Himachal Pradesh, to enable crop cultivation even in extremely cold conditions in the hill state.

The amount will be released in instalments, over the next four years, to give a boost to cash crop cultivation and modernise farming in the state, a spokesman of the state government said on Sunday.

Around 14,70,200 square metres of farmland has been targetted to be brought under the precision farming practice by building poly houses, so that off-season vegetables and other cash crops can be cultivated round the year and help in raising the yields manifold. These poly houses would be able to grow vegetables even in extreme climatic conditions.

The project would be self-contained. The Nabard project is expected to generate 4,000 jobs for artisans and 6,000 self-employment jobs for the rural youth of the state.