Himachal urges JICA to consider Rs 1,000 cr farm project for funding

Himachal Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Finance and Agriculture) Shrikant Baldi today urged the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to consider phase II of over Rs 1,000 of the HP Crop Diversification Promotion Project for funding so that ongoing project could be extended to all the 12 districts of the state.
Interacting with visiting delegation of 13 Afghan officers and JICA-India in under the leadership of Subroto Takuldar, Principal Development Specialist of JICA-India here today, Baldi said that Himachal government was obliged to JICA and the Union government for providing assistance of Rs 321 crore to Himachal under the project for improving the socio-economic conditions of farming families in five districts-Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Una since 2011.

Baldi further said that under the project, very good work has been done by promoting micro-irrigation, solar water lifting, construction of farm access roads, collection centres and creation of irrigation potential in 4,600 hectare area.
The farming Community has been organised into Krishak Vikas Associations (KVAs) who are operating and maintaining the irrigation system themselves. The ownership of the irrigation systems have been completely transferred to them.