Himachal Pradesh to legalise controlled cannabis cultivation amid fiscal woes

Himachal Pradesh is planning to legalise cultivation of cannabis for scientific, industrial and medicinal use. The State Assembly accepted a report that suggested the cultivation of cannabis in a controlled manner.
The report was tabled by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi in the Assembly on Friday.
“In the previous sessions, we had a proposal as part of Rule 130 on the cultivation of cannabis in the state. During discussions, both the government and the Opposition were in favour of it so the speaker constituted a committee to look into it under my chairmanship,” Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said.
 
“The people of the state are also in support because cannabis does not require much effort for cultivation so we can use it for medicinal and industrial purposes… Today the House unanimously adopted this resolution…” he added.
The legalised cultivation of cannabis is expected to generate annual revenue up to ₹2,000 crore, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukku said in December 2023 at an open discussion with ET Roundtable.
This move comes as the state is struggling with financial difficulties. According to the Himachal Pradesh budget documents, the government’s expenditure for FY25 is estimated to be ₹52,965 crore, and the state has to repay a debt of ₹5,479 crore.
 
In September, the salary of the state employees was not disbursed on the first day of the month. The chief minister claimed that the delay in salary and pension will help save ₹36 crore annually.
The government formed the committee on April 26, 2023, to study the matter of legalising the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal, scientific, and industrial purposes.
The panel’s study excluded the cultivation of charas. The committee consisted of scientists, horticulture experts, and political party members. It also recommended amending NDPS rules of the state in order to allow, control, and regulate the cultivation of cannabis plants.
 
Seed banks for cannabis cultivation will be developed by the Department of Agriculture, experts and universities. Reportedly, the committee members visited Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir, the states and union territories where controlled cannabis cultivation is allowed. Meetings were also held with representatives of gram panchayats in Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Sirmaur, and Solan for public opinion. Uttarakhand was the first state in the country to permit industrial hemp cultivation controlled by the government.