Mandi (HP), Oct 22 Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi on Thursday inaugurated the first agri monorail system to facilitate transportation of fruits and other agricultural produce grown in difficult terrain.
The Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition (HPSHIVA) monorail project in Mandi district is constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 20 lakh. The monorail project is one kilometre long.
The project, established in Palhota-2 cluster, covers 28.44 hectares and is associated with 85 farmer families.
Negi said the monorail project would be beneficial for farmers and horticulturists in the region.
The facility will save time and labour of farmers and horticulturists while reducing transportation difficulties, a statement issued here said.
The minister said the state government was continuously working to integrate modern technology into the horticulture sector, strengthen farmers’ economic condition and expand basic infrastructure in rural areas.
Modern facilities such as monorail projects would play an important role in the development of horticulture in Himachal Pradesh, he added.
The minister said the Rs 1,292-crore HP SHIVA project, funded by the Asian Development Bank, was being implemented in seven districts — Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Solan, Sirmaur and Una. The main objective is to increase the income of farming families.
Keeping farmers’ interests in mind, the duration of the HP SHIVA project has been extended by two years, from June 2028 to June 2030, he noted.
The minister said the first phase of HP SHIVA covering 3,000 hectares is scheduled to be completed by February 2027.
Director of Horticulture Satish Sharma, HP SHIVA Project Director Sameer Singh Rana and other senior officers were present on the occasion.
(PTI News)
