SHIMLA: The Centre has approved Rs 1,131.87 crore projects for Himachal Pradesh. These include Rs 708.87 crore for water conservation and Rs 423 crore for Himachal Pradesh integrated mushroom development projects. Both projects were approved on Tuesday by the department of economic affairs, Union ministry of finance.This was stated by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, who is on a two-day tour to New Delhi to coordinate with various ministries for several developmental projects. He said the state government had prepared the water conservation project with an estimated cost of Rs 4,751.24 crore in order to double the farmer’s income through water construction initiatives.“The first phase of the project is of 708.87 crore. The project will include construction of check dams, ponds, kuhls and other water harvesting structures. Both the projects were formulated by the state government in the last three months and approved by the Centre in record time,” he added.He said Rs 423 crore integrated mushroom development project would prove to be a milestone for the farming community of the state. The ambitious project would not only help in doubling the income of farmers but also provide employment and self-employment opportunities to the state youth.He also met Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari and requested him to notify 25 road stretches of the state as National Highways and also urged for sanctioning developmental works for their up-gradation. He said alignments of 25 stretches have been finalized and works on remaining 33 stretches shall be completed within a fixed time frame.In his meeting with Union minister for science and technology, ministry of environment, forest and climate change Dr Harsh Vardhan, Thakur urged him for according approval to three projects posed for funding under National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) worth Rs 57.75 crore.Another project worth Rs 19.92 crore for promoting climate resilient agri-horticulture has also been submitted with an objective to promote alternative practices to provide livelihood security to farmers where fruit crops production has declined because of climate variability. It will be implemented in vulnerable blocks of Kullu , specifically Anni and Banjar.He said the state has also submitted a project worth Rs 17.34 crore with an objective to propagate medicinal species plantation and its conservation in the Great Himalayan National Park eco region to enhance the resilience and ensure the continuity of ecosystem function and enhance the capacities of community to address current challenge and future uncertainties with focus on gender, social inclusion and environmental rehabilitation.

Stay updated with all the Latest Shimla headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.