Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami interacts with the cloudburst-affected families during his visit to Nanda Nagar area to assess the damage caused by the disaster, in Chamoli on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Extending a helping hand to the apple growers in disaster-hit Dharali, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday (September 20, 2025) said the State government will buy apples of the ‘royal delicious’ variety from them at ₹51 per kg and of the ‘red delicious’ and other varieties at ₹45 per kg.

Mr. Dhami has issued orders to the State agriculture and farmers’ welfare department to implement the announcement immediately.

Grade C apples have been excluded from the ambit of the announcement.

The August 5 cloudburst in Dharali and adjoining Harsil, in which the whole of Dharali was washed out by a mudslide, dealt a major blow to the area’s apple growers who lost much of their harvest.

The announcement by Mr. Dhami will be a major relief to them, an official release said. Apples grown in this area are much in demand countrywide.

A circular issued by the Chief Minister’s office directed the secretary in the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department to ensure immediate action and issue a government order granting financial and administrative approval for the move.

The Chief Minister said he should be informed about the status of compliance of the order.

Published – September 21, 2025 07:41 am IST