Una, January 20: The Himachal Pradesh government is successfully implementing effective schemes to strengthen the agricultural sector and ensure a continuous increase in farmers' income. In this regard, the Chief Minister's Agriculture Promotion Scheme has emerged as a powerful tool for farmers. This scheme is playing a crucial role in encouraging farmers towards advanced, sustainable, and profitable farming, as well as providing them with quality seeds, plant protection materials, and fertilizers.
Deputy Director of Agriculture, Kulbhushan Dhiman, said that in line with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's vision of making farmers self-reliant, this scheme is being effectively implemented in Una district. Under the scheme, subsidies are being provided on seeds and fertilizers at rates fixed by the department. Regular budget provisions have also been made for the government farm and soil testing laboratory located at Pekhubela.
He informed that in the last three years, 85,826 farmers have benefited from the scheme with an expenditure of Rs. 8.78 crore. This includes 15,377 farmers in 2023-24 with an expenditure of Rs. 3.19 crore, 48,646 farmers in 2024-25 with an expenditure of Rs. 3.16 crore, and 21,803 farmers in 2025-26 with an expenditure of Rs. 2.43 crore.

**Main Components of the Chief Minister's Agriculture Promotion Scheme**
The Chief Minister's Agriculture Promotion Scheme includes components such as the group-based vegetable production scheme, input-based subsidy scheme (seeds, plant protection materials, and fertilizers), strengthening of the seed multiplication chain, and empowerment of laboratories.

**Group-Based Vegetable Production Scheme**
To realize the immense potential of vegetable production in the state, the Department of Agriculture is promoting vegetable production through the group method. This initiative is not only increasing the production of vegetable crops but also significantly boosting farmers' income. Additionally, young and women farmers are getting new employment opportunities through agribusiness and small-scale industries.

**Input-Based Subsidy Scheme
Considering seeds as the most important input in agriculture, the government is providing a 50 percent subsidy to farmers on seeds of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and fodder crops, while a 25 percent subsidy is being provided on seeds of potatoes, ginger, and turmeric. In addition, subsidies are also being provided on mixed fertilizers.
The state government has decided to promote non-chemical methods for crop protection. Under this scheme, a 50 percent incentive is being provided to farmers of all categories on insect traps, lures, biocontrol agents, organic pesticides, and botanical control agents. Concrete steps are also being taken to make the state self-reliant in seed production through seed multiplication activities.

**Strengthening of Laboratories
The Agriculture Department is operating 11 soil testing, 3 fertilizer testing, 3 seed testing, 2 biocontrol, 1 state pesticide testing, and 1 biofertilizer production and quality control laboratory in the state. Farmers are being provided with free soil testing facilities for soil health assessment.
To promote non-chemical pest control, biocontrol laboratories in Kangra and Mandi districts are also conducting free demonstrations of bio-agents, biopesticides, traps, and lures in farmers' fields.
Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal said that the prosperity of the district and the state lies in the prosperity of the farmers. As per the instructions of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Agriculture Department in Una district is providing farmers with improved varieties of seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural equipment at subsidized rates. The district administration is working with full commitment for the service and convenience of the farmers.