Cabinet adopts State Action Plan for Climate Change

PANJIM: The State Cabinet on Wednesday resolved to approve and adopt the State Action Plan for Climate Change (SAPCC) for Goa which will enable the State to take adaptation and mitigation measures to deal with climate change.

The SAPCC seeks to adopt a holistic approach in all spheres of development such as transportation, power sector, agriculture, forest, fisheries and allied sector, environment and waste management, water, tourism, mining, human health. 

The budget for implementing the SAPCC is planned to be taken from the State government budget under different budget heads towards initiatives on climate change. 

For instance, Agricultural Department has khazan rejuvenation related activities where some budget of the department would have to used to prepare a separate action plan for the next 10 years to achieve this.

The SAPCC is a policy document to establish the goal towards resilient measures for climate change, adaptation and mitigation by the State. 

The total budget required for implementing the SAPCC has been projected to be Rs 465.00 cr for ten years, which works out to be Rs 46.5 cr per annum and amounts to approximately 0.22 per cent of the annual budget and 0.050 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Production ( GSDP) of the State. 

In addition to this, Rs 25 crore is also planned to be availed from NAFCC. The financial contribution may get revised or updated over the years, based on any additions or modifications to the SAPCC. 

One of the steps for mainstreaming climate change is to factor the identified amount annually into the State budget.

A separate Climate Change Secretariat will be formed and it shall be allocated a budget or financial assistance from the State for carrying out its activities in addition to that which will be received from the Union Ministry of Environment. Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC).

Each of the concerned departments will appoint a Nodal Officer on climate change to interact and deal with the Climate Change Secretariat and will ensure prompt and timely reporting.

The SAPCC makes people’s participation essential and provides a plan for including people from all sections of society.