ECON’s Integrated Socio – Economic Himalayan Development Concepts

During the past few decades, Himalayan areas throughout the region have experienced rapid change. Expansion in education and health services, the development of roads and electricity, improvements in irrigation and agricultural are related technologies, and the penetration of commercial forces are drastically altering many parts of the Himalayan areas. Whereas previously little attention was given to resolving Himalayan development problems, today there is widespread awareness and commitment. Among the Himalayan people themselves, there is revolution of rising expectations after centuries of isolation. There is much enthusiasm and willingness to work for a better future.

In spite of the fact that much has been achieved during the past few decades, there is still a lot of ground to cover. The challenges of Himalayan development basically remain the same as those indicated in the rationale for the objectives of ECON: environmental degradation, exploitation of comparative advantages for economic growth, and more equitable distribution of the benefits of growth leading to better living standards for Himalayan people.

Recent advances in education and health, development of physical and energy infrastructures, and penetration of market forces have added new dimensions to the challenges, in particular the following:

• Growing realization that achievements in health, education, physical infrastructure, and commercialization can neither be sustained nor built upon without appropriate institutional structures, from the macro- to the micro-levels, responsive to region- and location-specific needs and based on indigenous systems.
• The challenge of development in Himalayan areas is that institutions borrowed from elsewhere will not suffice, so new institutional mechanisms that serve the needs of rural households (often female-headed) have to be created. Strategies have to be not only pro-poor, but also pro-woman and pro-nature.

The problems and constraints before Himalayan areas are complex, requiring multi-dimensional interventions. The principal problems are related to: