Mohender Singh, Minister of Rural Development, PWD and Excise and Taxation expressed these views, while inaugurating a two-day national workshop on Curriculum Development in Watershed Management at Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni, near here yesterday. The workshop is being organised jointly by Food and Agriculture Organisation, Government of Netherlands and Parmar Varsity.

The Minister said the current development strategy based on watershed approach, under multi-sectoral policies of Union government was focussed on judicious utilization of natural resources by making integrated efforts on sustainable basis.

He said in line with the national strategy, the state government had been undertaking development projects and its related programme through state Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Forests. These departments were engaged in those watershed treatments in which beneficiaries were also involved in undertaking development activities in the command areas of the identified watershed so as to raise their socio-economic status. He said under watershed management programmes, desert development programme was adopted in Lahaul Sipiti and Kinnaur.