A meeting of State Level Nodal Agency (SLNA) under Integrated Watershed Development Programme was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary S. Roy.
In the meeting, 21 Detailed Project Reports of watershed development programmes for the districts of Bilaspur, Kangra, Kinnaur, Mandi, Solan and Una granted approval. A sum of Rs. 260 crore would be spent on these projects covering 1,06,596 hectare area. It was also approved to create District Level Project Implementing Agency (PIA) for Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts which would help in covering left out areas under IWMP in these districts in the coming years.
S. Roy said that the State had made a proposal to the Government of India for sanctioning One lakh hectare area for treatment under IWMP for the year 2012-13. Earlier, in 2008-09 the State Government had sent projects amounting to Rs. 4668 crore for sanction against which the projects worth Rs. 1035.08 crore had been sanctioned covering 690112 hectare area in different districts.
Chief Secretary emphasised on more livelihood generation activities under the projects so that beneficiaries could strengthen their economy besides making the projects more sustainable. He also underlined the need for pre and post evaluation of the projects by using GIS application and also giving broader shape to the watershed development programme. He also appreciated the achievements made under the IWMP project in the State.
SKBS Negi, Principal Secretary, Rural Development, Jagdish Singh, Deputy Inspector General of Forests, Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, K. Balchandran Thampi, Technical Expert (Forestry), NRRA, Government of India, Principal Secretaries and other senior officers of various departments attended the meeting.
