G B Pant Institute nodal body for Himalayan studies: Govt

The government has nominated the G B Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development (GBNIHESD) as the nodal body for implementing its National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS), the Lok Sabha was informed today.
The NMHS is a central sector grant-in-aid scheme which aims at addressing key issues related to the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in the Indian Himalayan Region.
"This ministry (Environment) has nominated GBNIHESD as the nodal institute for implementing the NMHS," Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said in a written reply in the lower house of Parliament.
Under the NMHS, 42 research projects are being funded in the Himalayan states, he said.

He pointed out that in addition, the GBPNIHESD in Himachal Pradesh is engaged in 17 research projects in the Himalayan states with funding from various agencies and 45 research projects under its Integrated Eco-research Development Programme.
"With foreign collaboration, three research projects sponsored by two agencies are being carried out by GBNIHESD under the financial support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)," he said.

Asked if any coordination mechanism between the different departments was in place to ensure sustainable development in the hill states, he said other ministries and departments were also engaged with different schemes in the Himalayan region.

"The steering committee with members of other ministries monitor the programmes. The research organisations work in tandem to ensure sustainable development in the Himalayan region," he said.
He added, "Under NMHS the type of projects taken up include seven for supporting livelihood, one related to agriculture and three in the area of horticulture.