PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The expertise of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in skill and employment, carbon credit, digitalisation and development of online systems along with tracking systems for children from birth can benefit Uttarakhand. Chief secretary Anand Bardhan said this while interacting with UNDP’s deputy resident representative in India, Isabelle Tschan here on Friday.
Talking to the UNDP team, Bardhan said that Uttarakhand has a very good literacy rate while stressing on the need for work on skill development of youth. He said that the UNDP should work on skill development and livelihood in the State while emphasising on the need for special focus on these aspects. The chief secretary also requested UNDP’s cooperation in the sphere of carbon credit. Stating that 70 per cent of Uttarakhand’s area is forest land, he said that this is very important from the environmental perspective. Citing work being done in the State on digital and online systems along with implementation of tracking systems for children from birth, Bardhan also sought the UNDP’s cooperation in these spheres.
Tschan said that the UNDP is working on public policy and good governance and sustainable development goals. She informed that in addition to providing assistance for localisation and integration, monitoring and evaluation of sustainable development goals, public policy, information technology, communication and capacity building, the UNDP is also providing technical assistance for CSR and the private sector. According to the agreement between the State government and UNDP, work will be undertaken on aspects including climate change, natural resource management, energy, biodiversity conservation, disaster risk reduction, livelihood, skill development and knowledge management, she added. Principal secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram and UNDP representatives were also present during the interaction.
