(a) whether the Government has constituted an Expert Group on the integrated
development of the Himalaya region;
(b) if so, the details thereof including the recommendations made by them;
(c) whether these recommendations have been accepted; and
(d) if so, the details of implementation and if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS & PLANNING (SHRI RAJEEV SHUKLA)
(a) Yes. Planning Commission had constituted an Expert Group on 27th March 1992 to
formulate a ‘National Policy on the Himalayas for Integrated Development’.
(b) The Expert Group was chaired by Dr. S. Z. Qasim, the then Member (Environment and
Science & Technology), Planning Commission, and had fourteen members. The Expert Group
made 24 recommendations. Details of the order constituting the Expert Group along with its
Terms of References (TOR) and recommendations are at Annexure-I and Annexure-II,
respectively.
(c) & (d) A Steering Committee was constituted by the Planning Commission to oversee the
implementation of the recommendations of the Expert Group on the Integrated Development
of the Himalayan Region.
Further, based on the recommendations of the Expert Group to formulate the
“National Policy for Integrated Development of the Himalayasâ€, six sector-specific sub-
committees were set up under the Chief Secretaries of the States of the Himalayan region to
formulate and implement schemes in the following areas for protecting the Himalayan eco-
system and biodiversity.
# Environment and Forests
# Agriculture and Allied Activities
# Industry and Industrial Infrastructure
# Social Sectors including Health and Family Welfare, Education
# Transport, Communications and Tourism
# Energy including Non-Conventional Energy and Science and Technology