Uttarakhand plan panel to have six sub groups

DEHRADUN: Six sub-groups will be formed under the Policy Planning Group headed by Chief Minister Harish Rawat to make the panel function more effectively and give final touches to policies being framed by the state government.

An order to this effect was issued by the panel's first meeting chaired by Rawat here yesterday, an official release said.

The Chief Minister gave orders to form six sub-groups under the PPG out of which the first will examine policies for farmers and rural development, second for infrastructure, industries, urbanisation and tourism, third for the social sector, fourth for science and technology, fifth for human resource and skill development while the sixth will focus on implementation of the policies, Rawat was quoted as saying at the meeting.

Chaired by the Chief Minister himself, the PPG consists of 21 members.

Underlining agriculture, livestock and improvement in the quality of education as some of the state government's topmost priorities, the Chief Minister said human resources will have to be developed according to market trends and requirements.

Technical education needs to be promoted and the handicraft industry needs to be given a distinct identity, he said.

Officials at the meeting underscored the need to connect rural tourism with livelihood to help benefits of development reach the remote hill areas of the state.

Efficiency of expenditure in rural areas by developing a robust monitoring mechanism, promotion of cluster-based farming and development of private resources were other important issues to come up at the meeting.