Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a live programme under the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' (Save the Farmland Campaign) held in Almora on Saturday, June 6, 2026, underscoring the state government's push to protect agricultural land in the Kumaon hills.

Context

Almora, a district in Uttarakhand's Kumaon region, has long faced pressure on its agricultural land base due to rural out-migration, expanding infrastructure, and growing tourism activity. The 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' — literally 'Save the Farmland Campaign' — is a state-level initiative aimed at halting the conversion and degradation of cultivable land across Himalayan districts. Chief Minister Dhami's on-ground presence at the event signals the administration's intent to give the campaign visible political weight.

Policy Backdrop

Farmland protection has been a recurring challenge for hill states across India, where arable land is scarce and increasingly vulnerable to non-agricultural use. Uttarakhand governments have over the years introduced measures to address land-use change driven by migration and commercial development, and the Khet Bachao Abhiyan sits within that broader continuum of state-level conservation efforts. Similar land-protection drives have been undertaken in other Indian states confronting shrinking agricultural land, reflecting a national concern about food security and rural livelihoods in fragile ecosystems.

The Kumaon region's terraced farming landscape is both ecologically significant and economically vital for smallholder farmers. Protecting these fields from abandonment or conversion is seen as central to sustaining rural communities and checking distress migration from hill villages.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of the Khet Bachao Abhiyan are Uttarakhand's farming communities, particularly smallholders in hilly districts like Almora who depend on terraced fields for both subsistence and income. Land-use enforcement and farmer-participation programmes under the campaign are expected to shape how effectively cultivable acreage is preserved in the coming seasons. Local officials and village-level bodies are also key stakeholders, as implementation of any land-protection measures depends heavily on district-level administration.

Beyond farmers, the campaign carries implications for the state's rural economy, environmental stability, and the government's broader development narrative ahead of future electoral cycles in Uttarakhand.

What's Next

Progress on the Khet Bachao Abhiyan will likely be measured through land-use enforcement data and farmer-participation metrics emerging from events like the Almora programme. Any resolutions, scheme expansions, or budgetary allocations linked to the campaign may surface in upcoming Uttarakhand assembly sessions. The government's follow-through on ground-level implementation will determine whether the campaign translates into measurable protection of agricultural land across the state's hill districts.