category Regional, shimla, , tags Regional, shimla, , DW BUREAU Shimla The cow dung procurement scheme will start in Himachal Pradesh from January next year, and clusters will be formed at block level to benefit small, marginal and progressive farmers, Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar said on Wednesday. Presiding over the review meeting of the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Department here, he informed that at the initial stage, 250 farmers will be registered in one block. The scheme envisages purchasing cow dung from farmers for Rs 2 per kg. The farmers included in the cluster will be motivated to adopt agriculture and allied sectors like poultry farming and cow rearing and will also be given the benefits of various schemes of the state government, the minister said. Stressing the need for synergy between the animal husbandry and agriculture departments for the success of the scheme, the minister said that two nodal officers from the Animal Husbandry Department and the Agriculture Department have been appointed to ensure effective implementation of the scheme. Strengthening the economy of the farmers of the state is the topmost priority of the government and concrete steps have been taken in the interest of cattle herders and farmers, including an increase in milk purchase price by Rs 6, he said in a statement issued here. The cow dung purchased from farmers will be stored properly and the supply of the same will be ensured in horticulture, agricultural fields and nurseries, he said. Markets will be made available for organic products of the farmers and organic crops will be purchased at attractive prices, he added. He also said that e-booklets would be made available to farmers to make them aware of the welfare schemes and policies of the state government as well. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had recently announced the launch of this scheme on the completion of one year of the Congress government. (editor dailyworld.in)