Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana 2026 - Natural Farming Scheme for Himachal Pradesh Farmers

Himachal Pradesh government is running the Prakritik Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojana (PK3Y) to promote natural farming across the state. The scheme, now known as Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana, was launched in 2018-19 and continues to expand. Under this प्राकृतिक खेती खुशहाल किसान योजना, the state government encourages zero budget natural farming based on cow dung, cow urine from indigenous cows, and local plant-based inputs. This article explains the complete details of the scheme including benefits, eligibility, application process and latest updates.

Himachal Pradesh is the first state in India to promote natural farming in the government sector. The scheme was announced in the Himachal Pradesh Budget 2018-19 by the then Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. Over the years, the scheme has grown into a major state programme. As of 2026, the scheme is being implemented under the name Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana, with the current Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu leading the state government.

Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana

The state government launched Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana in 2018-19 to promote natural farming. Under this scheme, the use of chemicals is discouraged, and the use of inputs based on cow dung, cow urine from indigenous cows and local plant-based materials is recommended. The main objectives are environmental protection, promotion of crop diversification and reduction in crop production costs.

Himachal Pradesh is the first state in India to fix Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for products grown under natural farming. The MSP is set at ₹40 per kg for maize, ₹60 per kg for wheat, ₹90 per kg for raw turmeric and ₹60 per kg for barley. This gives natural farmers a guaranteed price for their produce.

The scheme is guided at the state level by a High-Level Committee chaired by the Chief Minister. Its implementation and monitoring are carried out by a Special Task Force chaired by the Chief Secretary. For execution and monitoring, a State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) under the chairmanship of the State Project Director has been established. This unit implements the scheme across the state through the Agriculture Department. At the district level, the scheme is run as an Atma Project, including three district officers and Block Technical Managers and Assistant Technical Managers.

Current Status of the Scheme

So far, 220,000 farmer and horticulturist families have adopted this farming method fully or partially. The method has reached 99.3% of panchayats in the state and is being practiced on 38,437 hectares of land. The goal is to gradually involve 9.61 lakh farmer families in this method.

For marketing natural farming products, 10 markets have been designated and basic infrastructure is being developed. During the financial year 2024-25, the state government spent ₹14.85 crore on this scheme, and for 2025-26, ₹7.28 crore has been allocated.

To ensure transparency and traceability between farmers and consumers, a self-certification system website was launched in October 2022 for the Self Assessed Certification System. Over 200,000 natural farming farmers across the state have been registered so far, out of which 198,000 farmers and horticulturists have received certification. This certification is completely free and complies with the standards established by PGS (Participatory Guarantee System).

Subsidies and Support Under the Scheme

The scheme provides several subsidies and support to farmers who adopt natural farming. These are designed to reduce the cost of farming and encourage more farmers to switch to natural methods.

• A maximum subsidy of ₹2,250 per natural farming farmer family for purchasing drums used to prepare inputs, at ₹750 per drum, up to 3 drums per family.
• A maximum of ₹8,000 per farmer for constructing pits to collect cow urine by paving cow shed floors.
• A 50% subsidy, up to ₹25,000, for the purchase of Indian breed cows, with an additional ₹5,000 for transportation.

Awareness programs are organized for farmers and agricultural, horticultural and livestock extension officers to familiarize them with the new system. There is also provision for preparation of training materials by universities. To make this farming method easily understandable, related literature is provided free of cost by the SPIU.

Objectives of the Scheme

The scheme has been designed to connect all agricultural climate zones spread across all development blocks and districts. The main objectives of the scheme are given below.

• To promote mixed farming in harmony with nature.
• To reduce the cost of farming and make farming a sustainable livelihood option.
• To maintain soil fertility, soil structure and water retention, and improve soil microorganisms and vegetation.
• To discourage the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• To prepare production recommendations for different crops.
• To reduce environmental and groundwater pollution.

Benefits of Natural Farming

Natural farming offers many benefits to farmers. It reduces dependence on the market and helps farmers save money on inputs. The following are the main benefits of adopting natural farming under this scheme.

• No dependence on the market. All inputs required for farming are either available in the village or can be prepared at home.
• No use of chemical-based elements in farming. This controls environmental, soil and water pollution and protects natural vegetation and organisms.
• Restores soil fertility, organic matter and carbon in the soil. This method increases the number of microorganisms in the soil, and cow dung and urine from indigenous cows are the key to natural farming.
• Use of plants and natural resources for pest management reduces the cost of farming.
• Promotes the use of local seeds that suit the local environment.
• Intercropping and multi-cropping. Income from short-duration intercropping provides working capital for the main crop and increases farmer income.
• Including trees in the multi-crop farming model gives year-round income and reduces risk. Continuous green cover improves soil fertility and reduces water loss.
• Natural farming needs less water. Cover and moisture increase water use efficiency and reduce groundwater needs.
• Crops under natural farming stay standing longer during drought and can withstand heavy rain well.
• In the context of climate change, natural farming is the most climate-friendly method.

Application and Registration Process

Farmers who want to join the scheme need to register on the official website spnfhp.in. The registration process is done online through the Kisan Registration section. The steps are given below.

STEP 1 - Go to the official website at spnfhp.in and click on the Registration menu under the Farmer Corner section.

STEP 2 - Fill in the registration form with the required details and submit it.

STEP 3 - An OTP will be sent to the registered mobile number. Enter the OTP in the given form.

STEP 4 - Provide personal details such as category, district, block, panchayat, village, email ID, gender and Aadhaar number.

STEP 5 - Provide land and crop details, including land, kharif crops, rabi crops, mixed crops and fruit crops.

STEP 6 - Answer the questionnaire about SPNF input use and practices, experience in SPNF, use of mixtures, use of external inputs and use of chemical inputs.

STEP 7 - Provide details of at least three neighboring farmers who will verify the application.

STEP 8 - After verification by neighboring farmers and ATM/BTM officers, the farmer receives the Sitar rating certificate.

Documents Required

Farmers need to keep some documents ready for registration under the scheme. These documents help verify the identity and land details of the farmer.

• Aadhaar card of the farmer.
• Land records or land ownership documents.
• Bank account details for receiving subsidy.
• Mobile number and email ID.

Official Website and Help

For more details about the scheme, farmers can visit the official website at spnfhp.in. The website provides information about the scheme, registration, subsidies, literature and success stories. Farmers can also contact the Agriculture Department of Himachal Pradesh for help.

For the official scheme page, check Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana on the HP Agriculture website. The guidelines PDF is available at Guidelines of Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana.

For more details on the related scheme, check the Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Start-up Yojana article on this website.

FAQ's

Is the Prakritik Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojana still running?

Yes, the scheme is running and has been renamed as Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana. It continues to expand across Himachal Pradesh.

Who is eligible for the scheme?

Farmers and horticulturists of Himachal Pradesh who want to adopt natural farming can join the scheme. The scheme is open to small, marginal, medium and large farmers.

How can a farmer register for the scheme?

Farmers can register online through the official website spnfhp.in using the Kisan Registration portal.

What subsidy is available under the scheme?

Farmers can get a subsidy of up to ₹2,250 for drums, up to ₹8,000 for cow shed floors, and a 50% subsidy up to ₹25,000 for buying Indian breed cows.