Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government on Tuesday decided to give grants to farmers for building cluster-based naturally ventilated small polyhouses for growing vegetables and flowers.
The decision was taken by the state cabinet at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Secretary S S Sandhu said at a press conference. An fund of Rs 304 crore has been sanctioned under NABARD Rural Infrastructure Development Fund for the establishment of 17,648 polyhouses of 100 square metre size in which farmers will be given 70 per cent as grant, Sandhu said. It will provide direct or indirect self-employment opportunities to nearly one lakh farmers in the state and increase their income, he said, adding it will put brakes on continued migration from the hilly areas of the state.
The move will also lead to a 15 per cent rise in vegetable production and 25 per cent rise in flower production, Sandhu said. The cabinet also decided to build Rishikesh-Neelkanth ropeway project on public-private partnership mode, he said. The cabinet also made prior map approval mandatory for building any type of structures within 50 metre aerial distance (in hilly areas) and 100 metre aerial distance (in plain areas) right of way of national highways, state highways and roads identified by local civic bodies.
—PTI
