Srinagar, Oct 13: Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, on Tuesday expressed support for translating scientific research into practical, scalable solutions for the Himalayan region on the second day of the J&K Agriculture Science Congress and the 13th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit (SMDS) 2026 at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Shalimar.
Emphasising the need for outcomes beyond deliberations, Dr. Singh highlighted government programmes focused on the Himalayas and initiatives monitoring climate change, including glacier dynamics and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
He welcomed SKUAST-K’s collaboration with the Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) and other institutions in preparing a draft Sustainable Mountain Development Policy for Jammu and Kashmir.
He noted that stakeholder consultations could further strengthen the framework and indicated that the proposal could be considered by the Government of India.
SKUAST-K Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai highlighted the university’s role in addressing regional challenges through research and innovation. He said the university had secured 146 patents and nurtured 115 startups. He added that the summit aimed to identify practical approaches to safeguarding mountain ecosystems and communities.
Arushi Chopra, Director at SYSTEMIQ, stressed the need for a Himalayan Mountain Development Policy that balances ecological conservation with economic priorities, highlighting the role of sustainable infrastructure.
Dr. S. K. Panigrahi, Director General of IISD India, noted that Himalayan catchment systems support nearly 40 per cent of India’s population, underscoring the wider consequences of disasters in the region.
In his welcome address, Dr. Rajan Kotru of IMI stressed the importance of institutional conviction, collaboration and commitment in addressing Himalayan challenges. He called for closer integration of policy, practice and scientific knowledge to ensure that the summit’s outcomes are widely supported and translated into policy action.
Sushil Ramola, former President of IMI, emphasised the need to convert scientific knowledge into inclusive policies and strengthen the link between research and decision-making.
Babila Rakhwal, Commissioner Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, reaffirmed the department’s commitment to science- and technology-based initiatives for sustainable mountain development.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks by Prof. A. H. Mughal, Dean, Faculty of Forestry, SKUAST-K.
