Under the tutelage of our Hon’ble Chief Minister Himachal Pradesh Shri Jai Ram Thakur, the Himachal Pradesh Government through the HP Council for Science, Technology & Environment (HIMCOSTE) Shimla in close partnership with the Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) and the Shoolini University, Solan is organizing the “Conclave of Himalayan States” on 5th October, 2018 at the Hotel Peterhoff Shimla on the theme “Well Being of the next Generation of Himalayan People.”IMI is a civil society movement that unites the 10 Indian mountain states along the Himalayan ranges, as well as the hill districts of Darjeeling of West Bengal and Assam with the shared vision of “making people of India proud of our mountains”. The society has been instrumental in initiating landmark events in Indian Himalayan Region that have been beneficial in anchoring a positive policy discourse.Almost nine years back, the HP State Government had organized a similar Conclave “Himalayan Chief Ministers Conclave” themed on “Indian Himalayas: Glaciers, Climate Change & Livelihoods” on October 29-30, 2009. The Conclave resulted in the ‘Shimla Declaration on Climate Change & Himalayan Development’ and a call for collective action on common challenges of Himalayan environment and its populace’s well-being. Himachal Pradesh is the only state to have organized such a pan-Himalayan states dialogue, twice.This Conclave will be held in two-stages comprising of a summit of professional experts and delegates at Shoolini University, Solan, H.P. on 3rd-4th October, 2018, to be followed by the Concleve of all the Himalayan States at the Hotel Peterhoff, Shimla on 5th October 2018.
In addition to its central theme of Agriculture driven Well-Being of Next Generation of Himalayan People, the Conclave will cover supporting themes on two prominent sectors i.e. Hydropower and Sustainable Tourism, during the half day deliberationsThe Conclave will be graced by Hon’ble Union Ministers Sri Radha Mohan Singh from Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Shri Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Govt. of India. Sharing the dais would be Hon’ble Chief Ministers Shri Jai Ram Thakur, Himachal Pradesh and Dy. Chief Minister Shri Chowna Mein from Arunachal Pradesh alongwith Shri. C.M.Chang, Hon’ble Minister (Forest, Env., CC) Nagaland, Shri Somnath Poudyal Hon’ble Minister (Agriculture) Sikkim, Shri. Pranajit Singha Roy, Hon’ble Minister (Agriculture) Tripura, Shri Subodh Uniyal Hon’ble Minister (Agriculture) Uttarakhand, Shri Metbah Lyngdoh Hon’ble Minister (Tourism) Meghalaya. Other Ministers are also expected to attend the Conclave.The Conclave will also have a comprehensive representation from Parliamentarians and Legislatures from Indian Himalayan states.Several senior government officials including Principal Secretaries, Directors from Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Remote Sensing and Environment, form the Himalayan State and our State and Vice Chancellors from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, Shoolini University, Solan, Shimla University, Mehli, Shimla and Eternal University, Badu Sahib, Sirmaur will also attend this programme.This Conclave will go a long way in mainstreaming the challenges faced by mountainous community thriving in the Indian Himalayan Region and wishes to arrive at a mutually agreeable joint action plan with shared resources and efforts for a better tomorrow of participating hill states and most importantly our people.