PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINING THE HIMALAYAN ECOSYSTEM

PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINING THE HIMALAYAN ECOSYSTEM

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is implementing two National Missions on Climate Changeviz. National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC) from its internal budget allocation. There is no separate allocation for the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE); however, a total amount of Rs. 111.63 Crores has been sanctioned under NMSHE since July 2018 to implement various activities. The year and state-wise budget sanctioned under NMSHE is given below:

 

Sl. No.

States/UTs

Amount in Crores

2018-19

Amount in Crores

2019-20

Amount in Crores

2020-21

Amount in Crores

2021-22

Amount in Crores

2022-23

Amount in Crores

2023-24

Amount in Crores

2024-25

Total Amount in Crores

 

1

Arunachal Pradesh

3.60

2.46

–

–

2.57

1.17

–

9.80

2

Assam

3.04

9.04

–

–

–

–

–

12.08

3

Delhi

0.52

–

9.52

–

–

–

–

10.04

4

Haryana

–

–

–

–

1.55

–

–

1.55

5

Himachal Pradesh

1.91

0.80

2.81

1.12

–

–

–

6.64

6

Jammu and Kashmir

1.88

7.85

–

–

2.74

0.73

–

13.20

7

Karnataka

0.41

–

–

–

–

–

–

0.41

8

Ladakh

 

–

–

2.71

 

2.68

 

5.39

9

Manipur

1.18

–

2.14

–

–

–

–

3.32

10

Meghalaya

1.29

–

 

–

2.13

 

–

3.42

11

Mizoram

 

8.09

2.40

–

–

–

–

10.49

12

Nagaland

–

–

–

–

–

2.51

–

2.51

13

Sikkim

 

6.80

1.49

–

–

–

–

8.29

14

Tripura

 

1.49

 

–

–

–

–

1.49

15

Uttarakhand

0.75

2.06

16.13

–

–

–

1.55

20.49

16

West Bengal

–

–

–

–

2.51

–

–

2.51

 

Total

14.58

38.59

34.49

3.83

11.50

7.09

1.55

111.63

 

Under NMSHE, vulnerability assessment was conducted for the Himalayan States, which was further expanded to a pan-India study for the assessment of vulnerability and risk at the district level to assess flood and drought risk covering 698 districts, including the Surat region. The results indicate that Surat is at high risk for flooding, ranking 97^th among all the districts. Further, DST has also established/strengthened State Climate Change Cells (SCCCs) in 13 Himalayan States/UTs under NMSHE, which are mandated to conduct vulnerability and risk assessment at the district level and assist State Governments in the implementation of their State Action Plans. 

Considering the ecological significance of the Himalayan Ecosystem, the Department has constituted a ‘National Expert Committee (NEC)’, comprising a cross-section of key stakeholders, which includes reputed climate scientists from academia and research organizations and representatives of relevant ministries. The NEC meets at regular intervals to review and assess the implementation of various research programmes supported under NMSHE. Additionally, the Department also facilitates visits of experts for field-level review of projects. DST also conducts workshops for the dissemination of scientific outcomes of supported projects to relevant stakeholders.

To study and mitigate the impact of climate-induced natural disasters, such as landslides and soil erosion, the Department has recently established a Centre of Excellence (CoE) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, which focuses in the area of disaster risk reduction, sustainability, and adaptation strategies. In addition, DST has a dedicated Autonomous Institute, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun, which undertakes scientific research and activities related to geohazards (earthquakes, landslides), glaciology, georesources, etc.

With a view to address emerging challenges such as urbanization, DST has supported a National Network Programme on urban climate and recently announced a special call on ‘Urban Climate Research and Extreme Events’ to scientifically understand different aspects of urban climate in changing scenario. The Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified “Ecotourism guidelines in and around protected areas” in 2021. Further, the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has also formulated a ‘National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism’, which focuses on environmental sustainability, protecting biodiversity, and promoting economic and socio-cultural sustainability.

This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.