Climate change to get focus in budget: U’khand CM
DEHRADUN: Climate budgeting will be started from the next financial year to address issues related to climate change, chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat said on Saturday.
“The Uttarakhand government will introduce Gross Environment Product (GEP) and climate budget provision in all its departments so as to focus on environment conservation,” Rawat said on the occasion of the Environment Day in the presence of environment minister Harak Singh Rawat
“The government will introduce a climate budget from the 2022-23 financial year, The move will bring the works related to curbing the effects of climate change into the mainstream. It will also help in better implementation of those works with much better monitoring,” the chief minister said. “People of Uttarakhand have always known the importance of environment and will take all necessary steps to conserve it.”
Informing more about the decision, state forest and environment minister Harak Singh said, “Every department of the state will have to make provision for climate budget in its overall budget so as to define the works to be carried out by it for environment conservation.”
“The departments will carry out those works in every district. The government will also award those districts or departments which will be adjudged the best in implementing works for environment conservation,” said Harak Singh.
He said that the state has decided to introduce GEP on the lines of Gross Domestic Product.
“Like in the case of GDP, the government will also analyse GEP as environment has always been a very important factor in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, which has witnessed prominent environmentalists like Sunderlal Bahuguna and Gaura Devi,” said Harak Singh.
The minister also announced the government’s decision to restore all the ponds, lakes and other water bodies near all the villages and areas near the villages.
“All those lakes or other water bodies, which have been mentioned in the records of revenue department, forest department or any other government agencies, will be restored in the next one year. This will help in water conservation and enriching the water resources for the state,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state police also announced to plant 100,000 saplings on the premises of all its police stations, check posts, battalion centres and police lines within one year.
State director general of police Ashok Kumar said, “The initiative will be carried from today till Harela festival on July 6 next year. Under this, all the police stations and check posts will have to plant at least 100 saplings; police lines will plant 1000 plants and battalion centres at least 5000 to complete the target of 100,000.”
Earlier in the day, CM Rawat during his visit to Delhi, planted a Rudraksha sapling in the Uttarakhand House to mark the Environment Day.
Rawat, who also planted a black berry sapling at his Bhagirathipuram residence on GMS road in Dehradu, appealed to everyone to plant a sapling as their individual contribution to environment conservation.
“Ecosystem restoration is the theme of this year’s World Environment Day and let us all make our individual contribution to it by planting a tree,” Rawat said.