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.