UNDP Initiatives in Uttarakhand

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UNDP's Global Mandate UNDP is the UN’s largest source of grant assistance for development. Believing that freedom from poverty is a fundamental human right, UNDP assists governments and civil society organizations in developing economic and social policies to address the causes of poverty. UNDP is committed to making a pivotal contribution to halving world poverty by 2015. It works for the full realization of the right to development – a paradigm that places people at the centre of all development activities. UNDP Initiatives in the State The thrust of UNDP interventions in the state is aimed at the realization of what has come to be known as Sustainable Human Development, a term that warrants action on all critical issues in areas such as employment in the small scale and informal sector, women in agriculture, technology for urban renewal and community development. UNDP supports programmes aimed at capacity development for strengthening decentralisation, sustainable livelihoods, empowerment of women, and the safeguarding and regeneration of natural resources.

Supporting Employment in the Small Scale Sector For Poverty Eradication

And Sustainable Human Development

??Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre - The project focuses on the technological upgrading of cane and bamboo-institutions in the north-eastern states in India to strengthen their capacity in networking and dissemination. A strategy to promote and upgrade bamboo-based housing is currently being developed, which seeks to assess the existing potential in terms of available raw material, traditional skills and knowledge about new technologies as well as institutional support. It is intended to look in-depth at three regions – Ratnagiri (Maharasthra), the Terai area of Uttarakhand and the hilly areas of Mizoram and Tripura – all well endowed with bamboo, and with long standing traditions of the use of bamboo. UNIDO functions as implementing agency and the Department of Science and Technology functions as national executing agency for the project.

?? Sector Based Interventions in Village & Small Industries - Khadi and Village Industries

Commission (KVIC) - The project promotes sustainable human development and the pivotal dimensions of livelihoods and poverty eradication, through the development of capacity and outreach in selected sub-sectors (handmade paper, pottery and bee-keeping) in a manner that would support the national goal of growth with equity. The project is set up in cooperation with Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Mumbai. The location in Uttarakhand is Haldwani.

??Mission for Application of Technology in Urban Renewal & Engineering (MATURE) – This

project is being implemented by the Technological Information for Costing & Assessment Council (TIFAC). The objective is the demonstration and dissemination of new approaches for urban renewal. The location in Uttarakhand is Almora.

Strengthen State ATIs ?? Strengthen State ATIs This is an all India project being implemented by the Department of Personnel

& Training – Government of India, in Uttarakhand. The objective of the project is to strengthen the state ATIs (Administrative Training Institutes) to improve the effectiveness and responsiveness of the government through capacity building of civil servants at various levels. The programme aims at promoting more efficient practices in government and transparency in administration, and at improving the effectiveness of government functionaries. Civil servants will get the opportunity to upgrade their knowledge and practical skills to make them ever more responsive, accountable, people-friendly and transparent in their work. The programme is expected to better equip civil servants to further the cause of people-centred development, mainstreaming gender issues in development programmes and paying particular attention to the marginalised groups. Civil servants will be professionally more skilled to undertake development programmes more effectively and efficiently. The project in Uttarakhand is located in Academy of Administration, Nainital.

Agricultural Research

?? Food Security – This project is being implemented in nine states by the Directorate of Rice Research- Government of India to further the objectives of applied research, seed production, and extension for cultivation of hybrid rice by the farming community. In Uttarakhand the location is Pantnagar.

Women In Agriculture

?? Women in Agriculture –The project is being implemented in partnership with women’s groups

organised by the Mahila Samakhya programme and the Sodic Land Reclamation project. The objective is to support women’s groups for sustainable agriculture. Apart from direct support for agricultural activities, a major area of focus will be review and redesign of the systems of training in agriculture. This process will be undertaken through consultation with users, particularly women farmers, so as to ensure that materials are need-based, gender-sensitive, reflect a perspective of sustainable agriculture and are usable by women and men who are not literate. The location in Uttarakhand is Tehri Garhwal.

Environment & Biodiversity

??Inland Wetlands of India - The project is being implemented by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology

and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore. The initiative aims at developing an inland wetland inventory using modern spatial (mapping) technology.

??Establishing a Centre for Biodiversity and Natural Heritage in the Kumaon Himalayas - The

objective of this project is to contribute to the achievement of a sustainable environmental development process by strengthening and supporting community based initiatives. Another objective is to enhance capacity of local organisations to assist communities to improve their livelihoods through sustainable use and conservation of the local environment. The locations are Bhimtal and Sattal areas in Nainital district. The project is being implemented with the help of the NGO Himalayan Man and Mature Institute (HIMANI, Bhimtal), in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment & Forests. The locations are Bhimtal and Sattal areas in Nainital district.

??Biodiversity conservation efforts - The objective of this project is conservation of fragile catchment

areas of villages and swift spread of biogas units as an appropriate technology. The locations are Bari, Chamni, Dhamoli and Panergaon villages of Dwarahat block in Almora district. The project is being implemented with the help of the NGO Pan Himalayan Grass Roots Development Foundation (Ranikhet), and in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment & Forests.

??National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan - This project will assist the Government of India in

preparing its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP). The BSAP will promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the country, and will be developed through a participatory planning process involving all major stakeholders. The BSAP will be prepared by facilitating a stocktaking and assessment of information at both the state and national levels. The project is established in co-operation with GEF (Global Environment Facility).

??Small Grants Programme - he project is being implemented by an NGO – Centre for Environmental

Education, and aims to promote innovative local community-based initiatives and responses to local environmental threats at national and global level.

??Conservation of old stand forests of the Central Himalayas – This is a Ministry of Environment &

Forests pipeline project being implemented by the NGO Appropriate Technology India. The project will promote the conservation and sustainable management of stand forests of the Central Himalayas. Specifically, it will focus on the regeneration of the oak – based ecosystem. Conservation management by villagers and village groups (Van Panchayats, Mahila Mangal Dals) will be encouraged by linking sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest products and value-adding income generating activities. The location is Rudraprayag in Garhwal.

??Control of Green House Gases and to Reduce Deforestation and Protect Bio-diversity - The UNDP/GEF project aims at assisting the Government of India in the optimum utilisation of small hydel resources. Nine, out of a total of twenty, commercially viable small hydel demonstration projects have been initiated in Assam, Jharkhand, Sikkim and Uttarakhand (2 in Assam, 2 in Jharkhand, 1 in Sikkim and 4 in Uttarakhand). Institutional and human resource capabilities from the local to national level are being upgraded and a national strategy and a master plan in this sector are nearing completion. A Zonal Plan has been prepared under which a total of 2,162 sites have been identified with a potential to generate 3,827 MW power. The project, on completion, would demonstrate the potential to reduce deforestation and protect bio-diversity in the eco-fragile Himalayan and sub-Himalayan regions, besides reducing emission of green house gases.

Community Development

??Food Security – This project is being implemented in nine states by the Directorate of Rice Research-Government of India to further the objectives of applied research, seed production, and extension for cultivation of hybrid rice by the farming community. In Uttarakhand the location is Pantnagar.

??Women in Agriculture–The project is being implemented in partnership with women’s groups

organised by the Mahila Samakhya program. The objective is to support women’s groups for sustainable agriculture. Apart from direct support for agricultural activities, a major area of focus will be review and redesign of the systems of training in agriculture. This process is undertaken through consultation with users, particularly women farmers, so as to ensure that materials are need-based, gender-sensitive, reflect a perspective of sustainable agriculture and are usable by women and men who are not literate. The location in Uttarakhand is Tehri Garhwal.

State HDR Initiative ??Preparation of State Level HDRs - UNDP supports the preparation of the State Human Development

Reports (SHDRs) in cooperation with the State Government and the Planning Commission. The objective is to prepare, involving a spectrum of stakeholders, a State Human Development Report, that will be useful for setting policy and designing/and recalibrating development programmes that address intra-state diversities and disparities in people-centered development. Twenty-two Indian States are in various stages of preparing State HDRs. Five State HDRs are expected to be released in 2002. The preliminary preparations for the state HDR initiative have started with the Planning Commission. A preliminary workshop of experts was also held in Dehradun with assistance from the Planning Commission and the UNDP in September 2001.

Community Initiative for Health

?? Community initiative for Health – This five-state project is being implemented in Uttarakhand with assistance form the Bharatiya Gyan Vigyan Samiti an NGO, and in close collaboration with the district government functionaries. A district health plan is to be formulated under this initiative. The objective of this project is to empower communities for taking control and manage their health needs. The interventions will specifically try and facilitate horizontal linkages between the vertical programmes and schemes of the central and state government for evidence based response to the health needs. The programme is therefore, working in rural areas on early identification and rehabilitation of children with learning disabilities. Some of the salient activities include community sensitization especially building

capacities of women health activists in all the villages as well as resource teachers for each panchayat, orientation training of the health activists, resource teachers and PHC doctor. In addition the initiatives will also set up a supervisory committee at each panchayat level, a referral unit at block level, and most importantly mobilize and enable the panchayat committee to manage the block referral unit and to harness local resources. The location in Uttarakhand is Pithoragarh.

??Community Development - This project will support setting up of people’s organisations, developing

community assets and their capacities and development of enabling legal and regulatory frameworks. The location of this project is Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand. The project is being implemented by the NGO Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), Dehradun. The location of this project is Uttarkashi.

Public Policy ??Strengthening of State ATIs - This project is being implemented by the Department of Personnel &

Training. The objective of the project is to strengthen the state ATIs (Administrative Training Institutes) to improve the effectiveness and responsiveness of the government through capacity building of civil servants at various levels. The initiative aims at promoting more efficient practices in government and transparency in administration, and at improving the effectiveness of government functionaries. The program is expected to better equip civil servants to further the cause of people-centered development, mainstreaming gender issues in development programs and paying particular attention to the marginalised groups. Civil servants will be professionally more skilled to undertake development programs more effectively and efficiently.

??Capacity Building of Panchayati Raj Institutions - The sub-programme provides assistance to

strengthen India’s efforts to strengthen decentralisation and promote effective local governance. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act provides the platform for the sub-programme for capacity building of Panchayati Raj. The sub-programme provides support to six existing training institutions (in Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan) to develop them into Regional Resource Centres (RRCs) that are able to meet the training needs of elected representatives and officials at the local level in rural areas. While capacity development needs are different in different States and regions, a number of key themes are promoted through the programme including the right to information, gender equality, information technology for development, participation, bottom-up planning, knowledge sharing and networking, and exploration of public-private partnerships. Under the capacity building of Panchayati Raj institutions, it is envisaged to enhance the capacity of elected representatives and the State Institutes of Rural Development (SIRD).

??Capacity Development for Urban Governance - The sub-programme has been designed to support

the capacity building strategies of the government resulting from the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act. The scope of the project is to strengthen capacity development for decentralised urban governance; to inform the urban policy debate by showing results on the ground (improved service delivery and increased responsiveness of urban local bodies); furthering citizen’s participation in local governance; and, to support the development of the training capacity of one regional training centre (RCUES). The Ministry of Urban Development (MOUD) is executing agency for the project. The locations in Uttarakhand include Dehradun Municipal Corporation and Nainital Nagar Palika Parishad.

??Support for economic reforms - The scope of the project is to provide policy advice to the

Government of India, to improve provision of urban infrastructure, to carry forward the reforms in health sector, strengthen specialised regulatory authorities and to carry out legal reforms for speedy resolution of disputes. The project will formulate strategies for provision of cost effective urban infrastructure and improve the financial accounting practices of municipal authorities and carry out legal and institutional reforms to render laws and regulations pro-poor while reducing transaction costs for economic efficiency. Operational strategies for financing and improving access to health will be prepared,

as well as strategies for cost-effective and efficient methods of protecting the environment with a special focus on energy sector. The creation of an enabling environment for private sector investment in the infrastructure sector through developing appropriate policy framework and defining the role of regulatory authorities will also be part of the project. Department of Economic Affairs is the executing agency for the project, while the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, National Institute of Urban Affairs, Tata Energy Research Institute, Centre for multidisciplinary Research and Development, National Council of Applied and Economic Research are implementing agencies.

??Development Visioning in New States - The project has been signed between UNDP and the

Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance. The programme will be implemented by the respective State Governments. The project would contribute towards formulation of a development vision to achieve people-centred and gender-equitable development. The project will also supplement the State Governments' efforts in the formulation and implementation of pro-poor information technology initiatives, support to capacity building of public administration, preparation of sectoral policies and action plans in key areas such as the power sector, tribal development, e-governance and drought proofing.

Disaster management and Emergency Preparedness ??Disaster Management The aim is to strengthen the National Centre for Disaster Management and state

disaster management cells to train government officers and NGO Representatives. The project is set up in cooperation with the National Centre for Disaster Management, IIPA, and the Ministry of Agriculture.