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Uttarakhand Calls for State Specific Gross Environment Product Model

Source:arunodaytimes ↗

Why It Matters

Directly relevant to Uttarakhand's state policy updates, environmental accounting (GEP), and science-tech initiatives, which are high-yield areas for UKPSC PCS Prelims.

Summary

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami unveiled the Uttarakhand Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2026, aimed at boosting scientific research, technological advancement, and sustainable industrial growth in the state. Alongside this, a call was made for a state-specific Gross Environment Product (GEP) model to account for environmental services and ecological conservation alongside standard economic metrics.

Key Points

  • Uttarakhand unveiled the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2026 to foster research, technology adoption, and innovation in the state.
  • Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emphasized the adoption of a state-specific Gross Environment Product (GEP) model to balance ecological preservation with economic development.
  • The policy focuses on integrating modern technologies like AI, biotechnology, and green tech while leveraging local academic and research institutions like IIT Roorkee.

Important Terms

Uttarakhand Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2026

A comprehensive state framework aimed at promoting research-led development, scientific thinking, sustainable industrial growth, and the integration of emerging technologies and traditional knowledge in Uttarakhand.

UPSC context

Important for UKPSC Mains (Science & Technology and State Policies), testing policy measures for sustainable Himalayan development.

Source
Gross Environment Product (GEP) Model

An ecological economic metric that assesses and quantifies the economic value of environmental resources and ecosystem services like forests, water, and biodiversity conservation alongside standard GDP.

UPSC context

Crucial for UKPSC Environment & Ecology and Green Accounting topics, testing ecological valuation methods in hill states.

Source

Prelims Trap

Gross Environment Product (GEP) is merely an alternate name for green GDP or carbon offset accounting.

Aspirants often confuse Gross Environment Product (GEP) with GDP or carbon tax; GEP specifically measures the economic value of ecological and environmental services provided by nature.

Static Concepts Connected

Uttarakhand Environment and Sustainable Development

What is Gross Environment Product (GEP) and how is it applied in Uttarakhand?

  • Pioneering State: First state in India to initiate GEP as a composite index to measure ecological gains.
  • Ecosystem Valuation: Assesses forests, water bodies, soil, and air quality in monetary terms to value ecosystem services.
  • Complementary Metric: Complements traditional GDP by quantifying environmental conservation alongside economic output.

Cross-Topic Patterns

  • Green Accounting & Himalayan Sustainable Development

    Integrating Gross Environment Product (GEP) metrics with standard GDP provides a template for hill states to balance fragile Himalayan ecology with fiscal growth, relevant for UPSC/UKPSC GS Paper III.

  • R&D Decentralisation & Regional Innovation Models

    State science policies increasingly leverage premier institutes like IIT Roorkee to bridge traditional academic research with regional innovation ecosystems and industrial application.

Uttarakhand GEP framework and its integration with state science policy is a prime candidate for a 15-mark GS mains or assertion prelims question.

Linked PYQs · 3

Linked PYQs · 3

  • 2025UKPSC_PRELIMSGS1

    According to Uttarakhand Economic Survey 2024-25, what was the projected growth rate of the Gross State Domestic Product (at constant prices) of Uttarakhand in 2024-25?

  • 2025UKPSC_PRELIMSGS1

    Consider the following statements and select the correct answer from the options given below : Statement 1 : Uttarakhand is highly vulnerable to climate change. Statement 2 : Climate change is causing water stress and depleting biodiversity in Uttarakhand.

  • 2025UKPSC_PRELIMSGS1

    Which one of the following is incorrect about Uttarakhand's first nano-fabrication facility for semiconductor research setup by I.I.T. Roorkee?