Solar fencing system comes to rescue of farmers in Kangra

Under a state government scheme, farmers install solar fencing at 85% subsidy to keep stray animals, including cattle and monkeys, away




Rajendra Kumar, a farmer from Gaggal near Dharamshala, who has installed solar fencing (seen in the backdrop) covering his 10-kanal farmland. He is one of Kangra district’s 784 beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Khet Sanrakshan Yojna, a flagship scheme of the Himachal Pradesh government, on fencing abandoned farmlands to protect them from stray and wild animals.(HT Photo)


A state-run farm protection scheme has helped farmers, who abandoned agriculture due to the stray cattle and monkey problem, to return to farming in Kangra district.

The district authorities have spent ₹10.31 crore under the Mukhyamantri Khet Sanrakshan Yojna, a flagship scheme of the state government, on fencing abandoned farmlands in the district, benefiting 784 farmers.

Under the scheme, there is a provision of 50% subsidy on barbed wire and chain link fencing, 70% on composite fencing and 85% on solar fencing.

The scheme was launched from 2016-17 to help farmers protect their crops from stray and wild animals, including monkeys.

Kangra deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said a total of 1,26,843 metres of solar fencing was installed, covering more than 12 hectares of abandoned farmlands where agriculture has been restarted.

One of the beneficiaries, Rajendra Kumar of Gaggal near Dharamshala, said that he had abandoned farming a decade ago due to the stray animal problem. “Wild boars, monkeys and stray cattle would destroy crops. Two years ago, I approached the agriculture department for this scheme,” he said, adding he got 320 metres of solar fencing installed, covering 10 kanals. “Of the total cost of ₹3.5 lakh, I contributed ₹1.07 lakh, while subsidy worth ₹2.5 lakh was given by the agriculture department,” he said.

Another beneficiary, Mithila Sharma of Siholpuri village in Shahpur panchayat, said that the stray animal problem was so rampant that he could not even grow turmeric or ginger let aside traditional crops. “This scheme helped me return to farming. Now, I grow not only traditional but cash crops also,” Sharma said.

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Narendra Dhiman, the regional joint director of agriculture, said the solar fencing carries solar energy produced current, delivering a severe but non-fatal shock to an animal coming in its contact, deterring it from entering a field.