Himachal CM inaugurates nutrition garden at Palampur Agriculture University

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday inaugurated a Golden Jubilee Nutrition Garden at Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University Palampur built under a Rs 19 crore environment sustainability plan.

A press release by the state government stated that this environment sustainability plan concept of Centre of Advanced Agricultural Science & Technology (CAAST)- National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) entitled 'Protected Agriculture and Natural Farming' aims to motivate the people to adopt gardening in a systematic manner on a small piece of land.

The Chief Minister said that these gardens would ensure access to a healthy diet and adequate macro and micronutrients to the people at their doorsteps. These gardens would also help in strengthening food security and improve income generation and livelihood. These gardens would also play a significant role towards environmental sustainability by taking care of the natural resources of the area.

Jai Ram Thakur said that this concept of a nutritional garden would also ensure the involvement of students in environmental sustainability by making them technically aware of various fruits and medicinal plants. He said that this garden would cover an area of 3250 square meters and include various food species as well as medicinal and aromatic plants.

"In the first phase 21 plants each of apple, peach, plum, apricot, pomegranate and persimmon have been proposed to the planted in this winter season and later planting of other fruit species as well as medicinal aromatic plants would be planted as per their planting season," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )