A delegation of Congress MLAs from Kangra district, led by Agriculture Minister Chaudhary Chander Kumar, met Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday and expressed gratitude for the visionary and people-centric provisions introduced in the Himachal Pradesh Budget 2026-27 aimed at strengthening the rural economy.
During the meeting, the legislators stated that for the first time in the state’s history, financial resources have been prioritized for the welfare of villages, farmers, and economically weaker sections. They appreciated the government’s efforts to empower rural communities through agriculture and allied sectors.
The MLAs highlighted the government’s decision to increase the procurement price of cow milk to ₹61 per litre and buffalo milk to ₹71 per litre. Additionally, transportation assistance for delivering milk to collection centers has been doubled from ₹3 to ₹6 per litre, providing relief to dairy farmers.
They also welcomed the introduction of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹100 per kilogram for wool, which will significantly benefit sheep rearers across the state.
Under the natural farming initiative, the government has fixed MSPs for organically grown crops, including ₹80 per kilogram for wheat and barley, ₹50 per kilogram for maize, and ₹150 per kilogram for turmeric. Ginger has been brought under MSP coverage for the first time, with a price fixed at ₹30 per kilogram.
Chief Minister Sukhu said that a milk processing plant worth ₹200 crore is being established at Dhagwar in Kangra district. Proposals have also been prepared to set up additional milk processing plants in Nahan and Nalagarh with an estimated investment of around ₹100 crore, which will help enhance the income of livestock farmers.
He reaffirmed that the present state government remains committed to the welfare of all sections of society and will continue to take progressive steps for inclusive development.
The meeting was attended by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, State Planning Board Vice-Chairman Bhawani Singh Pathania, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, and MLAs Kishori Lal, Ashish Butail, Sanjay Rattan, Malender Rajan, Kamlesh Thakur, and Sanjay Awasthi.
