India approves projects for climate change adaptation in three states

NEW DELHI (INDIA): India’s Environment Ministry today approved three projects for climate change adaptation in three states.nnThe National Steering Committee on Climate Change (NSCCC), under the Chairmanship of Secretary MoEF&CC, Ajay Narayan Jha, approved the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) submitted by Governments of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Sikkim for funding under the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC).nnCurrent projects address a range of climate change vulnerabilities in the States which are not addressed under the ongoing schemes of the Central and State Governments. In Rajasthan, the project builds on work carried out under Phase I of the Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan to enhance the adaptive capacity of villages by making them self-reliant in terms of water requirement. The project in Gujarat seeks to enhance the adaptive capacity of natural resource dependent communities to climate change in targeted villages of Kachchh district. In Sikkim, the project aims to address the issue of water security which are directly identified as climate resilience building interventions under the SAPCC.nnNAFCC is a flagship Scheme of Government of India, which provides 100 per cent grant to the State Governments for implementing climate change adaptation projects. The Scheme is designed to fulfill the objectives of National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and to operationalize the State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs). During the two year period, 21 projects were approved at a total cost of Rs. 435.72 crore.nnThe projects address vulnerabilities in climate sensitive sectors like agriculture, animal husbandry, water, forests and coasts among others.nnThe project outcomes are expected to increase resilience and adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities and ecosystems against climate change impacts.nnThe Government of India is encouraging States to come up with innovative and scalable projects to develop resilience against climate change and mainstream it in the planning processes.