13 December, 2009 – The government of Denmark and UNDP, Thimphu, are supporting the Bhutanese government to maximise people’s participation in developing and managing their own social, economic and environmental well being, and to minimise the negative impacts of a changing environment.
The Danish government committed DKK 70 million (approximately Nu 600m) on November 20 and the UNDP has committed USD 860,000 (Nu 38.7m approx).
The support, titled ‘sustainable environment support program’ (SESP), to local governments has two components.
The major component of Nu 367m (DKK 40m) of the grant support will go towards capital investments of the local governments’ 10th plan activities. The fund will be merged with funds from government and any other sources for implementation of the local government’s 10th plan according to the gross national happiness commission secretariat.
The other component is a joint support for capacity development on mainstreaming environment, climate change and poverty concerns into policies, plans and programmes, with grant support of about Nu 184m from Denmark and about Nu 38.7m from UNDP. Support under this grant is intended to enhance the capacity of national and local government functionaries, private sector and civil society organisations.
The document for SESP will be signed at the GNH secretariat on December 14.
By Samten Yeshi
Source: Kuenselonline