Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi presided over a comprehensive review meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition Project (HPSHIVA) to evaluate its ongoing implementation across the Bilaspur and Sirmaur districts. The Minister emphasized that the HPSHIVA Project stands as a flagship state initiative designed to drive high-value horticulture. By integrating modern irrigation infrastructure, scientific farming practices, and strategic value addition, the project aims to establish sustainable livelihoods and substantially increase farmers’ incomes.
During the session, the Minister scrutinized the progress of 40 cluster sites in Bilaspur, covering 372 hectares, and 23 clusters in Sirmaur, covering 211 hectares. The discussions centered heavily on ongoing civil operations, including lift irrigation infrastructure, drip networks, solar fencing, and field preparation, alongside resolving execution bottlenecks and enforcing strict completion timelines. Minister Negi issued a firm warning to all working contractors, stating that all assigned tasks must be completed within the original stipulated timelines, as the government will grant no further extensions. He made it clear that delays would not be tolerated and strict accountability would be enforced for any lapses. To maintain momentum, the Minister ordered department officials to execute day-to-day monitoring of all active sites and announced that the next high-level review meeting is scheduled for June 18, 2026, by which point all stakeholders must demonstrate substantial physical progress on the ground.
To guarantee seamless operations, the Horticulture Minister laid down key directives for various state wings and technical experts. Subject Matter Specialists and Management Experts were told to actively take charge of plant health management and provide on-ground technical support to farmers to ensure robust crop establishment. For utility reliability, the Jal Shakti Vibhag and HPSEB were directed to ensure uninterrupted water and electricity supply at all project locations. Furthermore, the Jal Shakti Vibhag was specifically instructed to run all completed Lift Irrigation Schemes for a mandatory one-month trial period to verify full functionality and reliability before officially handing them over to users.
Construction Supervision and Monitoring Consultants were also told to scale up quality checks at every stage of implementation. The Minister warned that any compromise in materials or execution would result in immediate penalties for both the supervising officials and the contracted agencies. Concluding the review, Negi directed departmental officers to utilize the dedicated SmartCheck Monitoring Application during regular field inspections to log real-time progress. He reiterated the state government’s absolute commitment to the HPSHIVA targets, calling for synchronized, high-standard coordination to successfully transform the state’s farming landscape.
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