₹200 crore to be provided this year as minimum support price for milk; Dagwar dairy plant to be completed by October
Shimla: Strengthening the rural economy and creating better opportunities for people in villages remain among the top priorities of the Himachal Pradesh government, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Thursday, underlining a series of measures aimed at improving farm incomes, livestock-based livelihoods and access to quality education in rural areas.
Sukhu said the government was pursuing policy interventions designed to ensure that people living in rural areas could build sustainable livelihoods without being forced to migrate to cities.
As part of this approach, the government is opening CBSE schools in rural areas so that children can access better educational opportunities closer to home. Sukhu said the government had already opened 150 CBSE schools and teachers for these institutions were being selected entirely on merit. The appointment process, he said, would be completed by September 30, 2026.
The Chief Minister also made it clear that the existing fee structure would continue to apply in these schools, indicating that the expansion of CBSE education was not intended to make quality schooling inaccessible to rural families.
Milk procurement has emerged as another important component of the government’s rural economy strategy. Sukhu said the state was currently procuring cow milk at ₹61 per litre and buffalo milk at ₹71 per litre. During the current year, the government would provide around ₹200 crore as minimum support price for milk, he said.
The government is also investing in milk-processing infrastructure. Sukhu said a milk processing plant with a capacity of 1.5 lakh litres per day at Dagwar in Kangra district was expected to be completed by October this year. The facility, he said, would create a stronger value chain for milk producers and further improve the economic prospects of farmers and livestock owners.
The Chief Minister said the government’s support for rural producers extended beyond dairy farming. Minimum support prices were also being provided for crops such as wheat, maize and turmeric produced through natural farming. The objective, he said, was to improve farm returns while encouraging Himachal Pradesh’s shift towards sustainable agricultural practices.
Sukhu said his government had introduced policy changes across different sectors, with health and education receiving particular attention. Referring to improvements in education, he said Himachal Pradesh had ranked 21st nationally in quality education in 2021, but had now moved to fifth position following reforms undertaken by the present government.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the government’s focus on exposing students to new ideas, technologies and global best practices. Students were being sent on educational exposure visits abroad, he said, allowing them to observe modern systems and successful models in different parts of the world.
In the higher education and healthcare sectors, Sukhu said the state’s first science college was being established at a cost of around ₹150 crore. An allied and healthcare college was also being established in Hamirpur district.
The government, he said, was arranging foreign exposure visits for medical students while simultaneously strengthening diagnostic facilities in the state. Upgradation of various departments in medical colleges was also being undertaken to improve the quality of healthcare available to people within Himachal Pradesh.
Sukhu further said the state government was firmly pursuing Himachal Pradesh’s financial and institutional interests. Referring to the state’s outstanding claims related to the Bhakra Beas Management Board, he said positive indications were emerging regarding the arrears due to Himachal Pradesh.
The Chief Minister expressed confidence that the state would make significant progress towards becoming self-reliant by 2027, with the government continuing to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening its economy and improving public services.
On the government’s campaign against drugs, Sukhu said stringent measures were being taken to combat the spread of ‘chitta’ and dismantle drug-trafficking networks. The Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act had been implemented in the state, he said.
According to the Chief Minister, a large number of drug traffickers had been arrested and sent behind bars during the past three years, while properties linked to drug trafficking had also been seized. He announced that the second phase of the government’s campaign against ‘chitta’ would be launched from Una district on September 16.
