Monday, August 3, 2009

HP, Uttarakhand, J&K seek separate hill development authority

p
p
Shimla , Jul 31 In an attempt to effectively deal with the developmental needs of the hill states, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir today emphasised on setting up of a Trans Himalayan Development Authority.

Consensus to this effect emerged during a meeting of chief secretaries of Himachal Pradesh Asha Swaroop and Uttarakhand IK Pandey here, while chief secretary of J&K could not attend the meeting due to political situation in that state, official sources said.

adding but J-K is party to this consensus.

The meeting third of its kind was held at the instance of inter-state council.

After the meeting chief secretary HP Asha Swaroop told PTI that meeting stressed on the need for a special cell in the planning commission, which should speak on behalf of the hill states.

The two chief secretaries discussed the problems of ecology and environment. There was a consensus that hill states, should be properly compensated and a fund should also be set up in the planning commission for the purpose, Swaroop added.

HP Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in the past had sought creation of a separate ministry for Himalayan states in the Union cabinet on the pattern of one existing for the North-Eastern states.

Source: PTI

No comments: