UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

Figure 2.2: Aromatic Crops Selected for a short-duration crop after paddy harvesting and
Cultivation cinnamon as an agro-forestry crop.
The vision is to expand the production of ar-
omatic plants substantially by 2030, from 625 Ha
area under cultivation at present to 16900 Ha by
2030, while farmers engaged in production of aro-
matic plants will increase from 2000 to 68600.
Some of the strategies to attain the vision are
the following:
• Promotion of annual aromatic crops by dove-
tailing with the MGNREGS;
• Conduction of a baseline survey;
• Formation of village level Farmers’ Groups to
develop aroma entrepreneurs;
• Each aroma cluster will have a distillation unit
within a radius of 5-6 km to optimise trans-
port costs. Aroma clusters should have at least
five farmers in a group and the cluster area
Source: Government of Uttarakhand should be at least 2.5 hectares. The main aim
the state has resulted in abandoned land, which of the cluster approach is to establish SMEs for
has suffered from soil erosion, depletion of nu- villagers and to promote the socio-economic
trients, growth of weeds like Lantana, etc. In this growth of rural families;
kind of adverse conditions, aromatic plants can • Building of the required infrastructure for this
be cultivated successfully. Such crops are usually sector;
safe from wild life and domestic animals, are easy
• Establishment of a high-tech nursery, aroma
to transport due to conversion of essential oils
processing centre, and perfumery, at Centre
into low volume, are easier to store, and above all
for Aromatic Plants (CAP), Selaqui;
these have a high demand in the market.
• Strengthening of CAP as an agri-aroma busi-
The export of essential oils holds promise since
ness incubator under RKVY;
dental care with consumption of essential oils and
its fractions such as menthol, eucalyptus, etc. and • Linking with skill development and start-up
flavours/fragrances are two important areas of programmes.
demand worldwide. Flavours and fragrances, • Marketing support for farmers would be pro-
are the two most important sectors covering vided as a shield against price fluctuations and
about 70 per cent within essential oil groups.4 poor marketing mechanisms. The minimum
Figure 2.1 lists the major crops selected for scale support prices for 13 cultivated and 9 Hima-
cultivation and extension in the farmers’ fields in layan minor essential oils have been fixed by
Uttarakhand following agronomic trials. The focus CAP. An ‘Aroma Bank’ of 50 quintal oil stor-
is on cultivating these as bonus crops to generate age capacity has been created for farmer’s pro-
additional income and maximum land utilisation duce in CAP. A revolving fund has also been
from the existing cropping pattern. Aromatic grass- created for the provision of MSPs.
es are being promoted as waste land crops in aban- • Building institutional support for undertaking
doned land, damask rose as a boundary crop in the R&D on MAP species for generation of eco-
apple, pea, rajma, potato and vegetable fields, Jap- nomically viable and environmental friendly
anese mint as an inter-crop in wheat, chamomile as technologies for sustainable quality production

4. Paroda et. al. (2014).

44
 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

and creation of trained and skilled man power. manner. An important strategy for promoting
Sustained efforts are needed for inventorization sustainable agriculture is expanding area under
and distribution, threat categorization, conserva- organic farming by suitably identifying crops
tion biology, reproduction of rare, endangered for each agro-climatic zone, and utilising fallow
and threatened (RET) species of MAP, along land. Organic farming system avoids the use of
with R&D on Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) synthetic/chemical inputs (such as fertilizers,
management, crop improvement, crop produc- pesticides, etc.) and as far as possible rely upon
tion and post-harvest management, develop- crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures,
ing good agricultural practices (GAP) as well as off-farm organic waste, etc. and biological system
adopting organic farming 5. of nutrient mobilization and plant protection 6. In
Horticulture/hill agriculture includes non-tim- this context, soil health management is extremely
ber forest products which are promoted by AYUSH important. In addition, in the organic certification
(Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, areas, third party certification is needed for any
Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy). AYUSH engag- exports and concerted efforts needed in this con-
es in tapping the potential of several aromatic and text. There is also need for branding organic prod-
medicinal plants found in the mountains of Uttara- ucts from the state. The vision is to expand area
khand. Out of the herbal output in the state, around under organic farming from 35 thousand hectares
60-70 percent is herbs are being used at present. at present to 250 thousand hectares by 2030.
There is a lot of scope for employment generation Sikkim is a state which has shown the way for
if processing centres for herbs are set up. organic practices and in 2016 it became a one hun-
dred percent organic state (Box 2.1). The informa-
tion presented in the Box indicates the hand-hold-
Uttarakhand has potential of promoting ing done by the government to encourage organic
medical tourism using medicinal herbs, farming in the state, and how it has discouraged
along the lines of other states such as the use of chemical fertilizers by reducing subsidy,
Kerala. There is scope for promoting and has carried out the project in a Mission mode.
processes such as ‘Panchakarma’, a way
of de-toxifying and rejuvenating the body using However, Uttarakhand, in its strategy of ex-
traditional methods, which are popular among pansion of area under organic farming, must also
foreign tourists, as well as, increasingly, among take into account the experience of Sikkim that has
Indian tourists. This type of tourism efforts, along not been so positive, such as crops being prone to
with yoga and wellness centres, under the stew- diseases and pest attacks, decline in production as
ardship of AYUSH, could also generate employ- farmers switch from chemical to bio-fertilisers, and
ment in the hills. non-remunerative prices. Thus the overall strategy
needs to include adequate supply of organic fer-
Not only can the horticulture sector, including tilisers and other inputs to farmers, training them
MAP sector, generate livelihood for farmers, there in controlling plant disease and pest attacks, etc.
is scope for employment whereby MSMEs con- For promoting sustainable practices in the agri-
nect with the orchards and distilleries for further culture sector, some guidelines are available from
downstream activities, and local youth find em- European Union, for Best Environmental Manage-
ployment in the yoga and wellness centres. There ment Practices (see Box 2.2)
is potential of further employment generation,
particularly in the hills, if synergy with tourism is Integrated farming: While diversifying beyond
developed to promote agro-tourism, or culinary traditional crops into horticulture, vegetable, live-
themes for tourist activities and tours. stock, poultry and fisheries, there is need to fix the
Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) of these prod-
Promotion of organic farming: The transformation ucts. In view of climatic changes as well as given
of agriculture must take place in a sustainable the divided hilly terrain, farmers would benefit

5. Ibid
6. [Link] accessed on 27 January, 2018

45
UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

Box 2.1 Sikkim’s Journey Towards Becoming an Organic State

The process of converting Sikkim into a 100 per cent organic state was fast-tracked in 2010 with the launch of the
Sikkim Organic Mission
2003 - Sikkim begins discouraging use of chemical fertilisers, reduces fertiliser subsidy by 10 per cent. The Sikkim
Organic Board is constituted.
2003-2009 - State adopts 396 villages as bio-villages to test organic inputs.
2006-2009 - About 8,000 ha of land is certified as organic. Eight units of vermi-culture hatcheries are established in
five state farms and three Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
2008-09 - Ginger processing unit is established at Birdang Farm, West Sikkim. Ginger is one of the four high-value
crops selected by Sikkim for its trade potential.
2010 - Sikkim Organic Mission is launched to fast-track conversion of Sikkim into a 100 per cent organic state
2010-11 - More than 18,234 ha of land is certified. Automated greenhouses are established for production of dis-
ease-free quality planting material.
2011-12 - 19,216 ha land is certified.
2012-13 - 19,188 ha land is certified. `Organic farming’ is included in school curriculum
2015 - Entire agricultural area in the state is converted to `certified organic’.
2016 - Sikkim is formally declared a `100 per cent organic’ state.
Source: [Link] accessed on 27 January, 2018

by adopting an integrated approach to farming Act, for permitting the direct marketing of hor-
comprising integrated nutrient management, ticultural produce; and capability enhancement
weed management, and watershed management. of staff/farmers/entrepreneurs through inten-
The integration system, wherein the output of sive extension programmes. Arrangements for
one system is used as an input for another, would small-medium industries are to be established for
particularly benefit small and marginal farmers. horticulture, agriculture, herbal, aromatic, honey
Livestock and poultry constitute potential areas production by the farmers to promote a multifac-
for diversification. eted approach.
Reducing post-harvest losses: To attain the full po- Increasing knowledge and awareness among
tential of hill agriculture/horticulture as a vehicle farmers: Training farmers in modern technology
for creating sustainable livelihoods, there needs to and equipment to commercialise their business
be a well-defined plan for provision of agricultural and produce for project wise tasks/programmes
extension services such as facilities for cleaning/ can pay rich dividend. The trained farmers can re-
grading, drying, storage, extraction, milling, for- ceive the title Master Trainer, along with a stipend
tification, packaging, transportation and handling and be given the responsibility for the plants/
of the produce at the farm level or in nearby loca- crops. Regular interaction between students at
tions. The infrastructure will be for the entire sup- Agricultural universities and farmers will pro-
ply chain including collection, grading, packing vide required updation of knowledge. In order to
centre, cold storage, CA storage, pre-cooling units, acquaint the farmers better with available govern-
Refrigerating vans, and ripening chambers. ment policies/incentives, an IT-trained helper can
Grading centres for the Production and Col- be appointed at the Block level, to provide neces-
lection of crops and fruits, should be established, sary information.
along with MOU with the customers, in relation
with the national/international department, Tourism Sector
needs to be done so that the farmers get the cor-
rect price for their produce. There is also need Tourism can have a great positive impact on the
to link market infrastructure with reforms in the host economy by increasing its income, generating
APMC (Agriculture Produce Market Committee) employment for the local population, spurring the
government to invest in infrastructure creation, and

46
 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

Box 2.2 Best Environment Management Practices (BEMP)

Environmental management is important for sustainability in agricultural sector because
(i) Ammonia emissions arise from storage and application of manure and fertilizers; (ii) use of artificial fertilizers
lead to GHG emissions and (iii) there is Eutrophication of surface waters, i.e. agriculture accounts for much of the
nitrogen entering rivers and lakes.
Recent research in European Union provides some guidance for Best Practices to reduce environmental impacts in
agriculture, comprising Practical guidance, Environmental performance indicators and Benchmarks of excellence.
An illustration for BEMP ON FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT.

Practical guidance: Environmental performance Benchmarks of excellence

1. How to produce a nutrient man- indicators
1. The fertiliser nutrients applied
agement plan 1. Field nutrient surplus (kg/ha/ do not exceed the amount required
2. Selection of lower impact fertiliz- year) (the amount of applied nu- to achieve the ‘economic optimum’
ers trient not ending up in harvests or crop yield
animal products)
3. Precise application of nutrients 2. Field nutrient surplus or nutrient
2. Nitrogen use efficiency (%) (an use efficiency are estimated for ni-
indication of the level of uptake of trogen, phosphorus and potassium
nitrogen) for individual fields

Overview of the Agriculture BEMPs

1. Sustainable farm and land management - Resource-efficient food production - Land management to provide
other ecosystem services - Engagement with consumers to encourage sustainable consumption
2. Soil quality management - Assess soil conditions - Maintain/improve soil organic matter - Maintain soil struc-
ture - Soil drainage
3. Nutrient management - Field nutrient budgeting - Crop rotations - Precise nutrient application - Selecting low-
er impact fertilisers
4. Soil preparation and crop planning - Crop rotations and cover/catch crops - Minimising soil preparation (till-
age) - Low impact tillage operations
5. Grass and grazing management - Maintaining productive grassland - Maintaining biodiverse grassland - Effi-
cient silage production
6. Animal husbandry - Achieve high feed conversion and N use efficiency - Green procurement of feed - Herd
health and profile management
7. Manure management - Efficient housing - Appropriate slurry storage - Anaerobic digestion - Efficient slurry
application
8. Irrigation - Minimising irrigation demand - Irrigation management / scheduling - Controlled irrigation tech-
niques
9. Crop protection - Dynamic crop protection management - Crop protection products selection
10. Protected horticulture - Energy management and renewables - Water management - Waste management
Source: [Link]

47
UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

generally giving a boost to local sales and demand manner so that it can be counted among the top
for the goods and services providers. This sector is national and international tourist destinations in
accepted as a growth driver for inclusive social eco- the coming years.
nomic progress through its forward and backward For the initial three-year period till 2020, tak-
linkages, and the ability to create employment in the ing stock of the existing strengths and weakness-
economy. The high employment potential is reflect- es, as well as detailed planning for the develop-
ed in the estimated Figureure of creation of around ment of the new segment of tourist markets can
90 jobs per Rs. 10 lakhs of investment. 7 There is be the strategy. There should be a plan to position
scope for more employment generation opportuni- ‘Brand Uttarakhand’ in the domestic and interna-
ties in accommodation projects, food-oriented proj- tional market. The medium term should see the re-
ects, and amusement parks and water sports. alisation and execution of the detailed plans made
Uttarakhand, known as ‘Dev Bhoomi’ or the in the short term, along with improvement in the
Abode of the Gods, due to its natural endowment existing facilities. The brand of the state should be
of snow-capped mountains, rivers, forests, and publicised and marketed to more and more coun-
glaciers, as well as its renowned religious tourist tries, as a larger number of potential tourists be-
destinations such as ‘Char Dham’, is a popular come aware of the attractiveness of Uttarakhand
tourist destination in India. However, it is yet to as a tourist destination. The long-term strategy
fulfil its enormous potential as a growth driver for would involve further expansion depending on
the Uttarakhand economy. the success in the medium term.
Present status: With 29 million tourist arrivals in The attraction of the state as a pilgrimage site
2015, Uttarakhand is ranked ahead of Himach- is already well-established, but there is still a great
al Pradesh as a tourist destination for domestic deal of scope to promote the state as a destination
tourists, but still accounts for just 2 per cent of the for spiritual purposes, yoga, and wellness, also as
all-India tourist arrivals (Table 2.1 Figure 2.3) and a destination for trekking, mountaineering, riv-
. As regards foreign tourists, the development of er-rafting, and such adventurous activities. Rural
this sector in Uttarakhand lags considerably be- tourism and eco-tourism can be encouraged as has
hind other states. been done in other countries and in other states of
Vision and Strategy: The vision is to develop Uttara- India (see Box 2.3 for the Finnish experience of pro-
khand as a comprehensive, world class tourism moting food-based tourism), provided the needs
destination by realising the untapped potential of for infrastructure and connectivity, skill training,
sustainable tourism, through the design of inno- accreditation of dhabas/restaurants, and service
vative tourism products that build on the inherent providers are met. Thereafter, tourist destinations
strengths of the state as a natural destination which in the upper reaches of the state can also be devel-
can cater to all categories of tourists. oped, providing employment opportunities to the
local youth.
The aim is to make the state one of the top 10
tourism destination states of the country by 2020, For rural tourism, in particular, Himachal
up from its present rank of 12, to acquire a place Pradesh with its scheme ‘Har Gaon ki Kahani’
among the top 5 destination states by 2024, and has shown an exemplary way for how villages
finally to attain a position among the top 3 desti- can become an attractive tourist destination. Un-
nation states by 2030. der this scheme, the Panchayats of any village/
districts can send anecdotes about the history and
To attain this vision, the strategy for the state background of the concerned locale to the office
would involve the need to brand and position the of Deputy Commissioner or concerned District
experience of holidaying in the state in a planned

7. Annual Report 2015-16, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

48
 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

Table 2.1 Tourist Arrivals in 2015 and the State’s Rank as a Tourist Destination
Tourist Arrivals in 2015
Rank in 2015
(million)

Domestic Foreign Domestic Foreign

Uttarakhand 29 0.1 12 20

Uttarakhand share (%) in

2.0 0.4
all-India

Himachal Pradesh 17 0.4 17 12

Himachal Pradesh share

1.2 1.7
(%) in all-India

All-India 1432 23

Source: Uttarakhand State government.

Tourism development Center. 8 The individual locals, tourists can visit villages to witness boat
culture, customs, rituals for festivals/marriag- carnivals and races 9.
es and traditional tales were expected to attract Rajasthan provides a good example of how en-
tourists to experience their way of life and would tire villages are being developed as tourist destina-
give a boost to employment in the rural areas of tions to provide additional sources of employment
Himachal Pradesh as visits by tourists increased. and income to residents, whether it be through op-

Figure. 2.3 Tourist Arrivals in 2015 and the State’s Rank as a Tourist Destination

Source: Uttarakhand State government.

All the prevailing stories are compiled in a book erating homestays or rural tourist activities such as
which is published and disseminated world-wide village visits and sale of wares 10. Guests stay with
for drawing in more tourists to the state. a family and experience the culture of the local vil-
In Kerala, tours to Kovalam villages, for ex- lage. The tourists thus have an opportunity to expe-
ample, can introduce tourists to coir manufactur- rience simple rustic lifestyle from close quarters and
ing, coconut leaf weaving, and fish markets. In see the traditional values at work.
Wayanad one can meet, and greet oldest tribes, Theme-based circuits that have potential to be
which are barely untouched by civilization. Apart showcased as world class tourism products can be
from watching traditional activities like fishing by developed in consultation with the stakeholders.

8. Source: [Link] accessed on 30 January 2018.

9. Source: [Link] accessed on 30 January, 2018.
10. Source: [Link] accessed on 30 January, 2018.

49
UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

Box 2.3 Hungry for Finland! The Finnish Experience in Culinary Tourism
Food and eating are essential elements of the tourism product that involve powerful experiences.
Finland’s First Food Tourism Strategy 2015–2020 was launched and financed by the Ministry of Agriculture and
Forestry together with ‘Visit Finland’ in 2015. The work on the Food Tourism Strategy was coordinated by Haa-
ga-Helia University of Applied Sciences.
The key issues in developing food tourism are:
1. Taste of place: Associating a flavour to Finnish origins and the Finnish way of life.
2. Pure pleasure: Pure Finnish food involves Europe’s purest ingredients, clean water and air, aromas and flavonoids
created by Arctic light conditions, organic and local food and very high standards in food processing, all of which
contribute to healthy food, including special dietary needs.
3. Cool and creative Finland: An internationally renowned culinary phenomenon.
Strategic Actions
The primary action in promoting Finnish food tourism is the development of spearhead products, strategic part-
nerships and communication, as well as measures and designated actors for each of these. The measures listed in
the strategy aimed at promoting appealing, high-quality Finnish products to international and domestic tourists.
Finnish tourism operators were involved in the strategy discussions.
Source: [Link]

The state is actively considering development of for planning these circuits, along with a compre-
spiritual and religious theme based circuits for hensive area development approach to ensure the
tourism11. Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of availability all the requisite facilities in those cir-
central government, Uttarakhand is a site for Eco cuits, is also essential. There is a plan to develop
tourism comprising ‘Integrated Development of thirteen new destinations in thirteen districts of the
Eco-Tourism, Adventure Sports, Associated Tour- state based on various themes like adventure, lei-
ism related Infrastructure for Development of Teh- sure, rural, spiritual, and wellness in the long term.
ri Lake & Surroundings as New Destination-Dis- Success of tourism initiatives depend just not on
trict Tehri, Uttarakhand’ 12. Other themes may tourism department, but on synergy between tour-
involve treks/hikes/tours to view famous Hima- ism and a host of other departments of the govern-
layan peaks, or treks along the course of the Gan- ment. As a tourist arrives in Uttarakhand, the tour-
ga river, or places of culinary interest, or villages ism experience starts at the airport, railway station,
where communities maintain traditional lifestyles bus terminus, or in the car travel she undertakes to
that tourists may find interesting. reach her destination. The tourist’s experience actu-
Homestays in rural areas and in serviced ally starts even before that with access to informa-
apartments in urban areas can supplement tour- tion about tourist destinations and the ease of con-
ist accommodation. These can be linked to the nectivity of the state with other states in India and
theme-based circuits for planned growth and the with the rest of the world. The experience continues
government can plan to promote cleanliness and with the comfort of stay in hotels, etc., the culinary
beautification of the concerned villages and locales experience, the ease of access to popular tourist
for better tourist attraction. A framework for clas- spots, safety, the diversity of tourist attraction and
sifying infrastructural gaps can be developed to the functioning of the same, internet availability/
identify the existing bottlenecks so as to unlock the connectivity, and above all, the warm and friendly
potential of these circuits. An integrated approach behaviour of the local people which can make a stay

11. [Link] accessed on 2 February, 2018.

12. [Link] accessed on 2 February, 2018.

50
 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

memorable. Evidently, numerous departments such electronics manufacturing units to establish their
as PWD, road and rail transport, aviation, water enterprises in Uttarakhand.
and sanitation, electricity, urban development, hos- The Department of Rural Development focus-
pitality, IT, Disaster management and many other es on generation of self-employment and employ-
departments need synergy with the tourist depart- ment opportunities through skill training, and as-
ment to create a complete tourist experience. Here set creation via self-help groups (SHGs), among
a strategy of deploying project-specific committees others, through implementation of schemes such
which span several major departments should be as the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).
considered, especially for big projects.
Skilling youth in the state is a key strategy for
tacking youth unemployment. The Mahila Mangal
Other Avenues for Generating Sustainable Dal and The Yuva Mangal Dal, at the village level,
Livelihoods: shall also be motivated through workshops to cre-
The scope for linking the MSME sector to the ate self-help groups (SHGs) and to undertake the
growth-driver sectors, especially horticulture, required skill upgradation or training so that they
and thereby generating further employment, can benefit from the various employment genera-
has been mentioned. The MSME sector envisag- tion schemes of the different government depart-
es massive expansion in the future, which would ments. Uttarakhand Skill Development Mission is
increase employment from the present number important in this context. Some youngsters will be
of 2.58 lakh people to 8.5 lakh people by the year trained by ex-Army personnel at the block level to
2030. The focus will be especially on the micro sec- facilitate their entry into the Army. Reform and di-
tor, which has a tremendous potential to provide versification in agriculture, and, especially, more
employment at the mass level at minimum capi- land ownership for women, will help to raise their
tal investment. This sector also plans to provide work participation. Jal Vidyut Nigam undertakes
a marketing platform to the constituent segments projects in various parts of the state and can link
such as cottage, khadi, handloom and handicraft the employment of local youths to these projects.
producers, and to boost entrepreneurship among The employment department registers unem-
potential businesswomen. The employment gen- ployed youth, who would be provided appropri-
eration from the Large industries sector is envis- ate skill upgradation and training, so that they can
aged to increase from 1.69 lakh at present to 4.44 benefit from various self-employment schemes.
lakh people by 2030. Job fairs will be organized regularly at the district
Information Technology is an enabling sector level to facilitate the placement of these youths
that provides the under-pinning of smooth con- in various private sector enterprises. The depart-
nectivity throughout the state in various depart- ment shall conduct career counselling in all parts
ments, businesses and homes, thereby improving of the state through psychometric or aptitude tests
productivity and efficiency across sectors. Given to help students choose their careers as per their
the high literacy rate of 78.82 per cent in the state, skills and ability. In parallel, capacity building of
employment opportunities for educated youth concerned departments should also take place.
can be generated by encouraging ICT, ITES and

51
UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

52
 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

PART II their financial inclusion is ensured.

SECTION 2.1 The vision for targets of Goal No. 1 are pre-
sented in Appendix 2.1.1, followed by values for
SDG 1 End Poverty in All Its Forms
indicators (baseline and vision 2030) in Appendix
Everywhere
2.1.2, and Appendix 2.1.3 contains the schemes
The Sustainable Development Goal No.1 is di- applicable for Goal no. 1. Annexure 1 contains
rectly related to the economic and social pillars of the detailed information regarding indicators for
sustainability, though as in the case of the other Goal no. 1 for baseline, short-term (2019-20), me-
SDGs, it is also linked to the other pillars. Every dium term (2023-24) and vision 2030.
citizen on this planet should be able to enjoy free-
In the present section, Target numbers 1.1 to
dom from poverty in all its dimensions, and this is
1.4 all largely relate to rural and urban develop-
the basic issue addressed under Goal No. 1.
ment. Among these, Targets 1.1 and 1.2, which
Traditionally, economic growth has been the directly relate to poverty, will be discussed to-
primary instrument for tackling poverty. How- gether, while Targets 1.3 and 1.4, which relate to
ever, this has been based on the assumption social protection and inclusion, will be discussed
that the fruits of growth would trickle down together. Target 1.5, dealing with the resilience
to the poor and rich alike. Yet recent experi- of the vulnerable and poor to climate-related ex-
ence has shown that the benefits of economic treme events will be discussed separately.
growth have often tended to bypass vast sec-
tions of the poor, especially in the developing
countries, leading to increasing inequali- Target 1.1 Eradicating extreme poverty
ties and disparities between the rich and Baseline for Uttarakhand
the poor. Following efforts to address
The UN had specified extreme poverty as applicable
this serious issue, the provision of social
to those living below an income of 1.25$ daily. In
protection has expanded around the globe in the
the context of Uttarakhand, the concept of depriva-
form of cash transfers, meals for school children,
tion is being used as a proxy. In order to assess the
and targeted food assistance, as well as social in-
deprivation of the people, a Socio-Economic Caste
surance and labour market programmes, includ-
Census (SECC) was conducted in rural and urban
ing old-age pensions, disability pensions, unem-
households in India in 2011. Some results for the ru-
ployment insurance, skills training, and wage
ral census are already in the public domain. Based
subsidies, among others.
on SECC data households are ranked and catego-
Uttarakhand, with a high per capita income, is rised on the basis of socio-economic status using
better placed than many other states in the country automatic exclusion criteria, automatic inclusion
with respect to income poverty. However, it is wide- criteria, and deprivation criteria. The automatic ex-
ly accepted that poverty is multi-dimensional in clusion criteria are based on income/assets while
nature, and it is worthwhile to explore the other as- those automatically included are the poorest of the
pects of poverty and deprivation in the state, such poor. The remaining households are ranked on the
as access to basic services, as well as its resilience to basis of the following seven deprivation factors
withstand shocks and natural disasters, which can (Figure 2.4):
rapidly push even non-poor people into poverty.
Using the above criteria, the total number
The vision for 2030 for Goal No. 1 for the state of deprived rural households suffering from at
of Uttarakhand is: least one deprivation at present is 4,29,888. Two
By 2030, all deprived families in rural and ur- districts in the plains, that is, Haridwar and Ud-
ban areas are empowered enough to lift them- ham Singh Nagar, have the highest number of de-
selves out of poverty, all poor and vulnerable prived households.13
people are covered with social protection and

13. The SECC data for the urban households have not yet been released and hence the corresponding values for the urban indicator cannot be estimated.

53
UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

The poverty and vulnerability of the poor in The first strand of this strategy aims to elimi-
urban areas, including urban street vendors, is nate extreme poverty by reducing the number of
sought to be reduced by enabling them to acquire deprived population to zero by 2030. In order to
skills which would help them access gainful em- attain this from the baseline level of 4,29,888 de-
ployment. In the absence of estimates for the ur- prived households in 2016–17, the number would
ban poor, the indicator for extreme poverty used be reduced by 20 per cent in the short term, to
is the number of homeless households, for which bring down the total number of deprived house-
the baseline level is estimated to be 21,930. The holds to 3,43,911 by 2019-20. In the medium term,
National Urban Livelihood Mission addresses the the aim would be to achieve a further reduction of
problems of homeless families and provides them 40 per cent to bring down the number reduces to
with them shelters equipped with the essential 1,71,955 by 2023–24. The remaining 40 per cent of
services. Existing schemes such as the Mahatma the deprived households would be brought above
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee the extreme deprivation level by 2030. The second
Act (MGNREGA), which are operational in the strand of the strategy would entail the provision
rural areas of the state, are critical in providing of schemes to ensure social protection of the poor
the necessary safety net that prevents the vulnera- and the vulnerable.
ble sections from falling into extreme poverty (see With the increasing urbanisation, the number
Appendix 2.1.3 for schemes). of urban poor is likely to increase in the coming
years. The urban poor are being targeted on the
Target 1.2 Reducing the number of poor people basis of the following three kinds of vulnerabil-
ities: occupational vulnerability (pertaining to
Baseline for Uttarakhand livelihoods and dependence on the informal sec-
The indicators for this target show that the pover- tor), residential vulnerability (concerning shelter/
ty rate with reference to the state poverty lines is housing and basic services), and social vulnera-
11.26 per cent 14 (2011-12), much below the all-In- bility (covering health, education, social security,
dia poverty Figureure of 21.92 per cent for the and inclusion, among other things). The issue of
same year, and the state exhibits very little rural– social vulnerability is being addressed by various
urban differential in poverty rates. departments/ministries, while the issues of occu-
pational and residential vulnerability are being
addressed by the Central Ministry of Housing
Vision 2030 for Targets 1.1 and 1.2 and Urban Poverty Alleviation.
The vision of the Department of Rural Develop- The vision propounded by the Deen Dayal
ment, Uttarakhand, is that, in order to empower Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihood
the families identified as deprived, earnings of at Mission (DAY-NULM) is to reduce the poverty
least $1.25 daily will be created for each member of and vulnerability of the urban poor households
those families. The planks for creating such earn- by enabling them to access gainful self-employ-
ings would be generation of self-employment and ment and skilled wage employment opportuni-
employment opportunities through skill training, ties, resulting in an appreciable improvement in
and asset creation via self-help groups (SHGs), their livelihoods on a sustainable basis, through
among others, through implementation of schemes the building of strong grass-root level institutions
such as the National Rural Livelihood Mission for the poor. Under this scheme, urban street ven-
(NRLM), MGNREGA, the Integrated Livelihood dors would be helped to access suitable space,
Support Project (ILSP) under International Fund institutional credit, social security, and skills for
for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Bio- accessing emerging market opportunities. Anoth-
gas Programme. This strategy thus largely depends er objective of the 2030 vision is to provide 21,930
on the creation of employment, which can also be homeless households with shelters equipped with
provided by other departments such as horticul- services in a phased manner so that their number
ture, tourism, industry, etc.

14. 2011-12 Planning Commission estimates based on the Tendulkar methodology for poverty estimation.

54
 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

Figure 2.4: Deprivation Criteria Used in Socio-economic Caste Census

No adult member in
Households with one household between the
or less room, kutcha ages of 18 and 59 years Female-headed household
walls and kutcha roof with no adult male mem-
ber between the ages of
16-59 years
Landless households
Deprivation Criteria Households with differ-
deriving a major part
of their income from ently-abled members with
manual labour no other able-bodied adult
Households with no member
SC/ST households
literate adult above the
age of 25 years

Source: Based on information provided in [Link]/

is gradually brought down to 18,853 by 2019–20, Strategy for Targets 1.1 and 1.2
further down to 3077 by 2023–24, and finally to The Rural Sector: The Department of Rural Devel-
zero by 2029–30. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yo- opment has planned to adopt a holistic approach
jana (PMAY—Housing for All), Shelter for Urban to eliminate extreme poverty in the state. The gov-
Homeless (SUH), and other such schemes also ernment has devised a policy comprising 10 sutras
operate to address the problems of those without or points which, if addressed, would mitigate the
shelter and homes. multidimensional poverty faced by the poor. These
As regards Target 1.2, the proportion of people sutras aim to improve income/consumption by tar-
below the state poverty line is sought to be reduced geting and providing the poor and deprived with
from 11.26 per cent in the baseline to at least half, the necessary skills/livelihoods, while also im-
that is, 5.63 per cent, by 2030. Since the proportions proving their access to health and education, water
of people below the poverty line in both rural and and sanitation, housing, and finance, enhancing
urban areas in Uttarakhand are comparable, the social protection and strengthening the commu-
issue of mitigation of poverty for both will be ad- nity. The ten aspects of the holistic approach that
dressed with equal priority. needs to be adopted to combat poverty are present-
ed in Figure 2.5.

Challenges for Targets 1.1 and 1.2 Under the NRLM, hitherto 33,240 households
have been organised into 4133 SHGs. The broad
Migration from the Hills: Migration vision and strategy for lifting people out of pov-
from the hills to the plains and to des- erty by empowering them would be as follows:
tinations outside the state is a major
challenge, which is resulting in empty villages and • In the short term, that is, between 2016–17
in large swathes of land remaining uncultivated/ and 2019–20, some 7800 beneficiaries would
fallow in the hills. Able people are more likely to be self-employed. Around 85,978 beneficia-
migrate but sometimes others also leave, who lat- ries would receive skill training out of whom
er cannot fit themselves into the new environment. at least 70 percent will be placed for employ-
They need skilling to be able to adjust to the new en- ment. These 85,978 households would be or-
vironment and such schemes are being implement- ganised into 8597 SHGs.
ed by the Rural Development Department. • In the mid term, that is, between 2020–21
and 2023–24, 15,600 beneficiaries would be
self-employed. A total of 1,71,955 people
would benefit from skill training, out of whom

55
UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

Table 2.2: Vision 2030 for MGNREGA and Housing Schemes

2016–17 2019–20 2023–24 2029–30
MGNREGA (number of
180 570 830 1395
man-days created)

21,930
All people
PMAY (housing for homeless, belonging to
families with no rooms, 1 or 2 8120 this deprivation
kutcha rooms) category to be
provided hous-
ing by 2022

Rajya Hrin Saha Anudan 44,072 houses

Grameen Awas Yojana (State built from 2000 6492 8656 12,984
loan for building houses) till August 2016
Source: Government of Uttarakhand.

at least 70 percent will be ensured placements; times. In the subsequent time periods, the project-
and a total of 17,196 SHGs would be formed to ed man-days will increase by 1.5 and 1.6 times,
include 1,71,955 households. respectively.
• In the long term, that is, between 2024–25 Under the NRLM, a central scheme, the modus
and 2029–30, another 15,600 beneficiaries operandi is the formation of SHGs for women and
would be self-employed. A total of 1,71,955 then to inculcate savings behaviour in SHG mem-
people would benefit from skill training, out bers, followed by encouragement of inter-lend-
of whom at least 70 per cent will be offered ing. Next, the SHG members receive revolving
placement; and a total of 17,196 SHGs would funds from the government. After 12–24 meet-
be formed to include 1,71,955 households. ings, the micro-credit plans made by these SHG
The focus on livelihood will be supplemented members are supported by project staff. Then the
by social protection schemes. There are universal Government of India gives Rs. 1.1 lakh per SHG
programmes such as MGNREGA, while the major (subject to a criterion of a minimum size 5 in the
central scheme NRLM targets the deprived sections hills and 10 in the plains, and with a maximum
among the women beneficiaries. Some other tar- limit of 15). After six months, every individual or
geted schemes include the Integrated Livelihoods group delineates(s) plans for creating assets, such
Support Programme (ILSP), which is a poverty alle- as buying cows, or building an atta chakki, among
viation programme operating in Uttarakhand.15 The other things, and the state government provides a
MGNREGA scheme, on the other hand, is open-end- further subsidy of 3 per cent.
ed, that is, there are no eligibility criteria for benefi- There have also been initiatives for skill
ciaries falling under it. For implementing the PMAY development for wages and for self-employ-
in the rural areas, the SECC data are being used for ment through the DDU-GKY. This is a part of
selecting the beneficiaries or the deprived. In addi- the NRLM and is tasked with the dual objec-
tion, state-conducted surveys are also sometimes tives of adding diversity to the incomes of ru-
used. Table 2.2 depicts the vision for MGNREGA ral poor families and catering to the career as-
and the housing sector. pirations of the rural youth. The DDU-GKY is
The biggest thrust for MGNREGA would be uniquely focused on rural youth between the
in the immediate three-year period, by increasing ages of 15 and 35 years from poor families. As
the targeted man-days by a little more than three a part of the Skill India campaign, it plays an
instrumental role in supporting the social and

15. ILSP is a poverty alleviation programme being implemented in Uttarakhand in 41 blocks of 11 hill districts (Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli, Tehri, Uttar-
kashi, Rudrapryag, Dehradun, Pauri, Champawat, Pithoragarh, and Nanital) (Source: [Link]

56
 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

Figure 2.5: Strategy to Eliminate Extreme Poverty in Rural Uttarakhand

Source: Based on information provided by Government of Uttarakhand

economic programmes of the government like and developing community institutions, as well
‘Make in India’, and ‘Digital India’. 16 as by investing in their capacity to take livelihood
The Government of Uttarakhand is imple- decisions, and providing support services and
menting the Uttarakhand Livelihoods Improve- linkages.
ment Project for the Himalayas (ULIPH), with The project is covering 959 villages of 17 de-
financial support from IFAD. The project is man- velopment blocks in 5 districts of Uttarakhand,
aged by the Uttarakhand Gramya Vikas Samiti wherein approximately 40 percent of the total
(UGVS).The primary objective of the project is to population in each selected block is covered. The
improve the livelihood of vulnerable groups in project has formed 3962 community-based or-
a sustainable manner through the promotion of ganisations including SHGs, Van Panchayats and
improved livelihood opportunities and strength- Federations.17
ening of local institutions that relate to livelihood The central scheme of National Biogas and Ma-
development. The approach is to provide oppor- nure Management Programme provides for setting
tunities for better livelihoods by utilising SHGs

16. Source: [Link]

17. Source: [Link]

57
UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

up of Family Type Biogas Plants mainly for rural panelment of independent Certification Agen-
and semi-urban/households. 18 Such biogas plants cies (CAs) and a Placement (of a minimum of 50
generate biogas from organic substances such as per cent of the candidates) and/or linkages for
cattle-dung, and other bio-degradable materials self-employment ventures. Thus, an asset will
such as biomass from farms, gardens, kitchens and be provided to the urban poor in the form of
night soil wastes. The fuel thus obtained is clean and skills for sustainable livelihood and alleviation
can be used for lighting and cooking, with the latter of urban poverty.
usage leading to savings on the cost incurred on Liq- (iii) Self-employment Programme: Under the
uefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders. In addition, scheme, individual and group enterprises are
the digested slurry from biogas plants is used as en- to be promoted and linked with banks for fi-
riched bio-manure to supplement the use of chem- nancial support, and there is also provision of
ical fertilisers. Setting up bio-gas plants improves interest subsidy on loans for individual enter-
sanitation in villages, and most importantly, biogas prises (up to a maximum amount of Rs. 2 lakhs)
plants help in reducing the causes of climate change. and for group enterprises (up to a maximum
Alleviating Poverty in the Urban Sector: The amount of Rs. 10 lakhs). The individual and
DAY-NULM is the main scheme aimed at lifting group enterprises will get subsidised loans and
the poor out of poverty in the urban areas. This SHGs will be linked with banks for loans.
scheme has the following six main components: (iv) Capacity building and training: Technical
(i) Social Mobilisation and Institution Develop- support will be provided at the national, state
ment (SMID), which envisages the develop- and city levels.
ment of a three-tier structure for the socio-eco- (v) Support to urban street vendors: A city-wide
nomic upliftment of the poor, comprising SHG street vendor survey will be carried out with
(Self Help Group), ALF (Area Level Federation) a view to identify vendors, vendor zones, and
and CLF (City Level Federation) (see Figure existing practices, and ID cards will be issued
Figure 2.6: National Urban Livelihoods Mission for Alleviating Urban Poverty
Represents SHGs and gives them adequate
voice across various levels, eg. ULBs, state
Govts, banks, etc.

Association of SHGs for bank linkage, Revolving fund

bargaining Rs.50,000

Community Mobilisation for thrift, Revolving fund

empowerment Rs.10,000

Source: [Link]

2.6); to the vendors by the urban local body (ULB).

(ii) Employment through Skill Training and Place- There are plans for vendor market develop-
ment (ESTP) (Utthan): The primary features of ment, skill development, and financial inclu-
ESTP are that it entails imparting of training sion, as well as social security convergence.
as per the needs of the market, and stipulates (vi) Scheme of shelters for the urban homeless: For
the empanelment of Skill Training Providers every urban population segment of one lakh,
(STPs). It also posits that there will also be em- there will be permanent 24x7 all-weather com-

18. Source: [Link]

58
 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

munity shelters, with each shelter equipped to Target 1.4: Right to economic resources
cater to 50–100 persons. A minimum space of including land, property and financial s
5 square meters or 50 sq. feet will be provided ervices
per person. Linkages with social security and Baseline for Uttarakhand
other entitlements will also be ensured.
Target 1.4 will be assessed primarily by financial
inclusion in the form of the number of Jan Dhan
Target 1.3: Coverage of social protection Yojana accounts opened till date. The baseline
Baseline for Uttarakhand value is 21,70,693.

There are many pension schemes, including cen- Vision 2030 for Targets 1.3 and 1.4
tral schemes, in Uttarakhand, such as Old Age Target 1.3 entails extending social protection for
Pension, Widow Pension, Disability Pension, and vulnerable people. The state has plans for expand-
Farmers’ Pension, among others, which provide ing the outreach of the main pension plans from
a security net for the vulnerable segments of the the baseline levels to those in 2030, as delineated
society. Details of the baseline physical achieve- in table 2.5.
ments and financial expenditure for the major As regards Target 1.4, the baseline financial in-
pension schemes for the year 2015–16 are given in clusion, as reflected in the number of Jan Dhan Ac-
Table 2.3 and Figure. 2.7. counts opened in the state, will be increased over
The largest outreach is for the Old Age Pen- the coming fifteen-year period in order to ensure
sion scheme, which has 4,25,000 beneficiaries. that all unreached households are covered by 2030.
Other schemes for the vulnerable segments of the Strategy for Target 1.4
society include those that provide financial assis-
tance for the marriage of daughters in poor SC The Panchayati Raj Department has a major role
families and for daughters of homeless widows. to play in ensuring that all people, particularly the

Table 2.3: Physical Achievements (No.) and Expenditure

(Rs. lakh) under Major Pension Schemes in Uttarakhand (2015–16)
Scheme Physical Achievement (No.) Total Expenditure (Rs. lakh)
Old Age Pension 4,25,962 35,342.75
Widow Pension 1,39,381 12,302.23
Disability Pension 64,921 5796.09
Farmer Pension 19,469 1429.28
Source: Government of Uttarakhand.

Figure 2.7 Expenditure (Rs lakh) under Major Pension Schemes in Uttarakhand (2015-16)

Source: Based on information provided by Government of Uttarakhand

59
UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

Table 2.4: Achievements and Targets (No.) for Major Pension Schemes in Uttarakhand

Scheme Baseline Achievement (No.) Target 2030 (No.)

Old Age Pension 4,25,962 5,55,000

Widow Pension 1,39,381 1,80,000
Disability Pension 64,921 80,000
Farmer Pension 19,469 25,000
Source: Government of Uttarakhand.

poor and the vulnerable, get equal rights to eco- concerned. The baseline value of the number of
nomic resources and finance, as well as access to fully/partially damaged houses is 806/2440 and
basic services, among other things. The department there was a loss of 1464 animals, including both
aims to adopt the following strategy to effectively small and big ones.
address this target: Vision 2030 for Target 1.5
• Effective implementation of the flagship pro- Uttarakhand as a mountain economy faces more
grammes of the Panchayati Raj department such natural disasters such as landslides, floods and
as NRLM and MGNERGA, among others. earthquakes than most other states in India. Hence,
• Proper identification and prioritisation of el- Target 1.5 is extremely important for this state.
igible candidates and beneficiaries for all the Overall, the vision is to minimise the loss of lives
plans/programmes, subsidies, and social pro- and property arising from people’s vulnerability
tection schemes. to climate-related extreme events and other envi-
• Provision of basic services relating to drink- ronmental shocks, and to improve their resilience
ing water, sanitation, waste management, and to vulnerability against such events. Specifically,
other such facilities for all citizens with the it is aimed at that the number of deaths has to be
help of the 14th Finance Commission. brought to zero by 2030, and attempts have to be
• Establishment of a system of managing public made to contain the damage to houses and loss of
property/resources with the help of rural em- animals in a staggered way.
ployment based on resource-mapping.
• Determination of local development goals, Challenges for Target 1.5
public interaction and garnering of resources Poor response and preparedness for disaster man-
for the elimination of poverty. agement: There have been reports underscoring
the weakness in disaster management observed
during the 2013 disaster, particularly the response
Target 1.5: Build the resilience of the and preparedness components. 19
poor and vulnerable to climate-relat-
ed extreme events and environmental Strategy for Target 1.5
shocks and disasters. The strategy needed for tackling the natural ca-
Baseline for Uttarakhand lamities that occur relatively frequently in moun-
tain states such as Uttarakhand are: conduction
The vulnerability to climate-related events is cap- of a Hazard, Risk, Vulnerability and Capacity
tured by the indicators of loss of lives, injuries (HRVC) analysis; augmenting preparedness to
due to natural disasters, and also by the number deal with disasters; ensuring proper land-use;
of houses fully/partially damaged, and the loss and installing monitoring and warning systems.
of animals from natural disasters. Although the Further, all disaster management plans should be
loss of lives numbered 126 for the baseline, it was stringently followed and executed.
225 in 2013, and the number of missing that year
had been a massive 4021, as there was a major > The State government has prepared a State Di-
natural disaster in Uttarakhand during the year saster Management Plan, which is being revised

19. Uttarakhand Disaster 2013, National Institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

60
 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

every year. Given that in times of disaster, co-or- • Establishment of a Decision Support System
dination between various departments such as (DSS): This involves the setting up of a DSS for
Public works, Police, Health, Water, Power, Ir- assimilating and analysing information from
rigation, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry is multiple sources in an integrated geo-spatial
crucial for the effectiveness of the disaster man- system that will display information and pro-
agement programme, the corresponding disaster vide access in a user-friendly manner.
management plans are also being prepared at the • Slope Stabilisation Study: This will entail
department levels. Standard Operating Proce- learning about slope stabilisation from among
dures (SOPs) for different types of disasters are the existing successful techniques and introduce
being prepared for different relevant departments appropriate technology in the state. The study
and duties are being assigned to specific person- will help minimise the impact of landslides on
nel. Provision of battery-operated chargers can be infrastructure and protect habitations from the
made in the disaster-prone areas to facilitate open overflow of rivers by treating and stabilising ac-
communication among all stakeholders when di- tive and prone slopes along river training works.
saster strikes. • Strengthening of the Uttarakhand State
> Mock drills and exercises are being carried out Disaster Management Authority: This will
as a part of the Incident Response System (IRS) involve institutional strengthening and en-
along with imparting of training for search and hancement of facilities, and training pro-
rescue operations to police personnel, fire-Figure- grammes, among other things.
hters, and homeguards, among all security per- • Strengthening of a Hydro-Meteorological Net-
sonnel. It is also being ensured that SMS services work and Early Warning System (EWS): This
are put in place and used efficiently for timely will review the existing hydro-meteorological
dissemination of weather-related information to capabilities at the state and national levels and
warn communities about impending disasters. will develop a relevant modernisation plan.
> The Uttarakhand Government has a long-term Similarly, the existing EWS will be reviewed to
strategy with detailed outlines for improvement identify gaps and help establish a robust and
fail-safe EWS in the state.
in ‘Technical Assistance and Capacity Building’
for disaster risk management. The various com- • Seismic Assessment of Public Buildings in
ponents of this strategy are as follows: Uttarakhand: This will entail assessment of
seismic vulnerability on the basis of the struc-
• Disaster Risk Assessment: This will pro-
tural information of buildings through rapid
vide technical assistance to institutions to visual screening, and identification of seis-
enable them to plan, setup and implement a mic-deficient buildings for prioritising the
multi-hazard risk assessment of the state. A structural strengthening of such buildings.
Digital Disaster Risk Database will be devel-
oped, comprising information about major di- • Strengthening Emergency Response Capaci-
sasters such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, ty: This will focus on strengthening the capacity
flash floods, and industrial hazards. of the State Disaster Response Force, including
fire services personnel and other key response
• River Morphology Study: This will support agencies through the use of better search and
the study of the morphology of key rivers rescue equipment and enhanced training.
impacted by disasters, along with identifica-
> Apart from the plans of the State Disaster Man-
tion of critical protective infrastructure that is
agement Authority, the Civil Aviation department
needed to strengthen river banks. It has also
has also launched initiatives for improving pre-
been proposed to develop an Uttarakhand paredness to meet disasters since Uttarakhand is
River Information Management System (UR- a mountainous state with many remote locations.
MIS) to assist in decision-making and URMIS Construction and upgradation of helipads/he-
is likely to provide a better anticipation as liports along with associated facilities for disas-
well as control of response of rivers and catch- ter preparedness have been proposed for 60 such
ment areas to any catastrophic event, and help helipads/heliports, and No Objection Certificates
to ensure timely corrective action. (NOCs) have already been obtained for 51 of these.

61
UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

62
 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

SECTION 2.2 Target 2.2: By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition

SDG 2 End hunger, Achieve Food Security and Baseline for Uttarakhand
Improved Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Uttarakhand has no overt problem of hunger
Agriculture. though considerable malnutrition is prevalent in
Some of the reasons for slow progress in elimi- the state. There is an active Public Distribution
nating hunger globally have been natural and System (PDS) comprising around 9000 Fair Price
human-induced disasters or political instability, Shop outlets. The National Food Security Mis-
with increased vulnerability and food insecurity. sion accounts for 60 per cent of the foodgrain sup-
Thus persistent hunger is associated not only with ply through PDS while the remaining 40 per cent
food availability, but also with access to food. 20 comes from the state food scheme. The Antyodaya
households and erstwhile Below the Poverty Line
In Uttarakhand, the agriculture sector contrib-
(BPL) households together account for around a
utes just around 10 per cent to the GSDP. However,
quarter of the beneficiaries.
in a state where over 70 per cent of the inhabitants
are rural, the same sector employs more than 50 Malnutrition among children is widely prev-
per cent of the workers and provides livelihood alent in India and Uttarakhand is no exception.
security to a major proportion of the rural popu- There is considerable chronic malnutrition among
lation. Thus, agricultural progress continues to be children below the age of five years, which is man-
crucially important for not only food security but ifested in the form of stunting and wasting, affect-
also for the overall development of the state. ing, on an average, 33.5 per cent, and 19.5 per cent,
respectively, of the children in this age group in the
state. In this context, the rural indicators are higher
The Vision for the state for Goal No. 2 is: than the urban, according to the latest NFHS data
By 2030, access to foodgrains is substantially for 4th round in 2015-16. A little over a quarter of the
improved such that no citizen in Uttarakhand children under the age of five are underweight for
is hungry or malnourished, and agriculture is their age. However, the incidence of stunting and
transformed with the help of the expansion of prevalence of underweight children have declined
irrigation, crop diversification, productivity since 2005–06, the third round of NFHS.
enhancement, and organic farming practices. Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and
The vision for targets of Goal No. 2 are pre- Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) are widely ac-
sented in Appendix 2.2.1, followed by values for cepted as indicators of malnutrition. SAM refers
indicators (baseline and vision 2030) in Appendix to severe wasting and is a dangerous form of mal-
2.2.2, and Appendix 2.2.3 contains the schemes nutrition, which can turn fatal if left untreated. 21
applicable for Goal no. 2. Annexure 2 contains The state has 1677 children (aged less than three
the detailed information regarding indicators for years) in the SAM category and 25,281 children
Goal no. 2 for baseline, short-term (2019-20), me- (aged less than three years) in the MAM category.
dium term (2023-24) and vision 2030. Anaemia is a manifestation of under-nutrition
In the present section, Target 2.2 deals with and poor dietary intake of iron. Nearly 60 per cent
aim of eliminating malnutrition. This will be dis- of the children in the age group of 6–59 months
cussed first. The targets 2.1, 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5 are all in Uttarakhand are anaemic, and this high level
related directly to the agriculture and allied sec- of anaemia has persisted since 2005–06. Howev-
tors and will be discussed together. er, it may be noted that the causes of nutritional
anaemia among children include iron loss due to
parasite load (for example, malaria, and presence
of intestinal worms) as well as poor environmen-
tal sanitation, consumption of unsafe drinking

20 [Link]
21. [Link] accessed on October 2, 2017.

63
UTTARAKHAND: VISION 2030

water, and inadequate personal hygiene, and not tackle malnutrition and anaemia effectively.
just dietary deficiency. 22 Thus, the attainment of Strategy for Target 2.2
Target 2.2 is also dependent on the attainment of
SDG No. 6 and its concomitant targets. The inci- The strategy of the state government is to mitigate/
dence of anaemia amongst women of reproduc- eliminate the challenges outlined above and also
tive age is also high, at 45.2 percent, though it to expand production to meet the targets for 2030.
has declined in the last decade. Uttarakhand has A mountainous state such as Uttarakhand needs
recently turned to local produce such as mandua a concerted investment in infrastructure develop-
and kala bhat to boost nutrition among kids and ment for promoting agriculture. This includes all
pregnant women. aspects of improving irrigation, power, rural roads,
and Information and Communication Technology
Vision 2030 for Target 2.2 (ICT) infrastructure. A focus on these areas would
The state aims to tackle the challenges of malnu- improve productivity and widen the much-need-
trition by adopting a gradual approach over the ed market access, as well as improve post-harvest
fifteen-year period till 2030. The number of mal- storage and processing. Agriculture should also be
nourished children will be reduced by 30 per cent made profitable for farmers, by weeding out in-
and the number of severely malnourished chil- termediaries and protecting farmers from market
dren will be reduced by 25 per cent by 2019-20. price fluctuations.
The corresponding targeted reductions for the Anaemia/malnutrition are not just health con-
next four-year period till 2023–24 are 40 per cent ditions but are also impacted by factors such as lack
for malnourished children and 35 per cent for se- of safe drinking water, hygiene and sanitation (toi-
verely malnourished children. The targets for the lets), switching over to usage of polished rice and
final time period till 2029–30 are to reduce the absence of leafy vegetables in meals etc. 23 Hence,
number of malnourished children by 60 per cent in the long run, over and above iron supplements,
and the number of severely malnourished chil- what is needed is promotion of nutrient-rich local
dren by 50 per cent. food, consumption of greens & leafy vegetables, use
The objectives for reducing anaemia are: re- of toilets, availability of safe drinking water and con-
ducing the baseline levels of anaemia among vergence of efforts of departments of Agriculture,
women of reproductive age from the baseline Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Health
levels of around 45per cent to successively 40 per and Family Welfare, Department of AYUSH, etc.
cent by 2019–20, to 30 per cent by 2023–24, and The specific strategies proposed for attaining the
to 15 per cent by 2029–30. For children aged 6–59 vision for Target 2.2 are as follows:
months, the baseline levels are higher, at around
60 per cent, and these are sought to be reduced For reducing malnutrition:
successively to 50 per cent by 2019–20, to 40 per • Establishment of Nutrition Resource Centres
cent by 2023–24, and to 20 per cent by 2029–30. (NRCs) in all 13 districts for nutritional coun-
Challenges for Target 2.2 selling and treatment;
• Promotion of schemes through Information,
-The remote hilly areas lack approach roads, Education and Communication (IEC) activities;
godowns and proper weighing devices, all of • Observing ‘Vajan and Poshan Diwas’ monthly
which adversely affect the access to food for the for growth monitoring of children who are less
people in such regions. than 3 years of age—the focus is on identifica-
- The post-harvest losses are large, especially for tion of SAM and MAM children;
fruits and vegetables, and they need to be cur- • Early detection and management, especially of
tailed. stunted children with respect to endocrinologi-
- There is a need for convergence of schemes to cal disorders;

22. Guidelines for Control of Iron Deficiency Anaemia, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, accessed at [Link]
[Link] on April 27, 2017.
23. [Link] accessed on 6th February, 2018.

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 SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

Figure 2.8: Selected Indicators for Malnutrition in Uttarakhand

Source: Based on information provided by Government of Uttarakhand

• Counselling of parents for ensuring nutri- • Distribution of Albendazole tablets to girls

tion under the Village Health Nutrition Day aged 15–19 years twice a year;
(VHND) and promoting hygienic habits such • Distribution of iron and folic acid tablets to
as correct hand washing practices, and nail cut- pregnant women;
ting;
• Providing nutritional food through the angan- • Promotion of schemes regarding nutrition and
wadis—the state government initiative Upyog prevention of anaemia through IEC activities;
Rojana Jaruri Hai—Abhi Se (URJA) is specifi- • Early detection and treatment of anaemia of
cally designed for malnourished children, and girls aged 15–19 years by school health teams
this dietary supplement is made with locally and screening of school children up to the
available food; and ninth standard for detecting thalassemia and
• Increasing the availability of safe drinking wa- anaemia;
ter and access to toilets at anganwadi centres • Ensuring 100 per cent institutional delivery by
(AWCs). the year 2030 and a minimum stay of 48 hours
at a health facility for pregnant women after
For reducing anaemia among women of reproduc- delivery;
tive age: • Disbursement of free medicines, food, and
• Strengthening anaemia tracking and timely re- blood (if needed) to all pregnant women at
ferral for proper management; government health facilities; and
• Forging partnerships with development part- • Provision of financial aid to BPL pregnant
ners, medical colleges and professional bodies women for ensuring adequate nutrition.
to support intervention for addressing repro- For reducing anaemia among children aged 6-59
ductive child health challenges; months:
• Promoting antenatal screening of all pregnant • Increasing the number of facilities for new-
women; born children—at present four Special New
• Counselling of anaemic women of reproduc- Born Care Units (SNCUs), and 29 Net Back-
tive age under VHND and for maintaining up Support Utility (NBSUs) are operational
menstrual hygiene; in the state; by the year 2017–18, nine SNCUs
and 41 NBSUs will be operational; and by the
• Distribution of Iron Folic Acid (IFA) tablets of year 2020–21, SNCUs in all the 13 districts
blue colour to girls aged 15–19 years; and NBSUs in all the high case load facilities

65