Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 27 Aug: Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan was paid a courtesy call by World Bank Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer, Pascal Donohoe, and his team at the Secretariat here on Thursday.
During the meeting, various important topics were discussed in detail, including Uttarakhand’s holistic and long-term development, urbanisation, climate change, water management, disaster management, and the state’s Uttarakhand@2047 development strategy.
The Chief Secretary stated that work is underway in various sectors, with a long-term vision to develop Uttarakhand into a strong, prosperous, sustainable, and disaster-resilient state by the year 2047. He stated that work is underway in every district to rejuvenate rivers and conserve water resources. He requested financial and technical assistance from the World Bank in this area. He stated that water, climate change, and environmental protection are critical areas for Uttarakhand’s future development. He reminded that water is going to become a significant global challenge in the future. Therefore, special efforts are being made to conserve rainwater and promote greater rainwater harvesting in the state. Financial and technical cooperation with the World Bank could be further strengthened in this direction.
The Chief Secretary affirmed that the state is emphasising controlling migration by creating adequate employment and livelihood opportunities locally, and encouraging reverse migration as needed. The focus is on the state’s long-term development with a view to strengthening the local economy and providing better opportunities for youth.
Discussing the possibilities of World Bank cooperation in the education sector, the Chief Secretary pointed out that efforts are being made to improve school education and technical education and strengthen the education system in line with modern needs. According to him, financial and technical assistance from the World Bank is needed in the areas of education, as well as livelihoods and migration.
During the meeting, departmental officials discussed in detail the state’s ongoing work and projects in the energy, finance, and drinking water sectors.
Understanding the state’s development priorities, Pascal Donohoe also discussed the possibilities of future cooperation through strategic and flagship projects. The World Bank expressed its commitment to providing long-term cooperation and technical assistance for the development of Uttarakhand. The meeting specifically discussed the state’s strategic development priorities under ‘Vision Uttarakhand @ 2047’. Considering the rapid urbanisation in the state, future urban needs, infrastructure, and sustainable and planned urban development were also discussed. It was agreed to advance future development projects in line with the state’s priorities with the support of the World Bank.
Present on the occasion were Principal Secretaries RK Sudhanshu, R Meenakshi Sundaram, Johannes Jatt from the World Bank, Secretary Dr Ranveer Singh Chauhan, Additional Secretaries Narendra Singh Bhandari, Rohit Meena and Navneet Pandey, along with other senior officials.
