Shimla | Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi has directed officials to impose penalties on firms that fail to meet deadlines for solar fencing and field preparation work under the HP Shiva Project. Chairing a meeting of the project’s Governing Council, Negi said that penalties must be enforced as per contractual agreements to ensure timely implementation.
The Minister emphasised that the solar fencing work is critical to the success of the project, which is being executed across seven districts with a total outlay of $163 million (Rs 1,292 crore). Of this, Rs 190 crore has already been spent. The fencing is targeted to cover 2,750 hectares by June 2025, but so far, only 828 hectares have been fenced out of the proposed 4,000 hectares.
Negi also instructed the Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, to supply high-quality ‘true-to-type’ plum and Japanese fruit (persimmon) plants to farmers. He said the quality of these plants is being verified at the ADB-approved molecular lab in Neri, where even field samples are tested and reports are shared within 7-8 days.
The university is expected to provide 40,000 plum and 40,000 persimmon plants by February 2026, and one lakh plants in total by 2027.
In a push towards modernisation, the Minister also announced that branded water-soluble nutrients and pesticides would be procured through tenders. High-tech spray kits, pumps, and other essential horticulture tools will also be purchased in collaboration with HPMC.
One of the key highlights of the meeting was the development of an integrated digital platform under the HP Shiva Project. The platform will offer 75 AI-powered services including plant protection, disease and soil management, real-time weather updates, production tracking, and marketing support. The platform will also support cluster farmers in availing carbon credit benefits generated from their orchards.
