Dehradun | Wednesday
In the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, a significant agreement was signed at the Chief Minister’s residence under the “Vibrant Village Programme.” A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formalized between the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Uttarakhand Horticulture Council to ensure the supply of local products—particularly fresh fruits and vegetables—to ITBP units stationed in the state.
The Chief Minister described the MoU as a major step toward the holistic development of farmers, local producers, and border areas of Uttarakhand. He stated that the initiative would ensure that ITBP personnel receive fresh, nutritious, and high-quality food locally, while also guaranteeing fair prices for farmers’ produce.
Emphasizing the government’s commitment to promoting local products, he noted that the agreement strengthens the vision of “Vocal for Local.” It will provide farmers with a reliable and sustainable platform for marketing their produce.
Under this arrangement, the supply of local products will be ensured not only in border districts such as Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, and Champawat but also in Dehradun. The Chief Minister added that the initiative will improve farmers’ incomes in remote regions and help overcome challenges related to market access.
He further highlighted that previous agreements under the Vibrant Village Programme between the state government and ITBP have already delivered encouraging results. So far, ITBP has procured local produce worth approximately ₹14.77 crore. If ITBP sources even 25% of its annual requirement of fruits and vegetables locally, it could generate an estimated ₹6 crore in additional income for farmers in the state.
On the occasion, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ganesh Joshi, Agriculture Secretary S.N. Pandey, ITBP IG Manu Maharaj, Additional Secretary Anand Srivastava, Director Horticulture S.L. Semwal, CEO of Uttarakhand Horticulture Council Narendra Kumar Yadav, and other officials were also present.
