Uttarakhand - Department of Land Resources

pathways of disease agents such as pathogens and pests by creating favorable
conditions for their survival and propagation. Pathways by which climate change
affects human health would also include factors that are embedded in the
environmental and socio-economic conditions of regions exposed to climatic
extremes. Mountain regions such as Uttarakhand are vulnerable to direct health
impacts of climate change due to floods and GLOFs and consequent health
outcomes due to impacts on drinking water supply and sanitation and spread of
water-borne diseases. Furthermore the occurrence of certain vector-borne diseases
such as malaria has also been projected to shift towards higher altitudes with
changes in the climate.
CHALLENGES FOR LIVELIHOOD SECURITY
Majority of population of Uttarakhand lives in rural areas and its dependence on
agriculture almost as an exclusive source of livelihood. The efforts therefore have
been directed towards sustainable development of rural economy by way of
provision of non-farm employment opportunities, safe drinking water, empowering
women and equipping them with skills, tools and finances for around economic
development, promoting weaker sections of society and creating self-employment
opportunities for rural youth.
In future, agricultural and other land-based activities, in the long run, even with the
high and diversified rate of growth will not be able to ensure employment to all the
rural workers at adequate levels of income. Technological advancement coupled
with institutional changes in agriculture sector will lead to further shrinking of
employment potential and also conversion of a substantial number of those under
employed in agriculture into openly unemployed seeking work elsewhere. Given the
fact that some of them will be able to get employment in urban areas; still it is
necessary that the rural economy gets diversified into non-farm activities to provide
productive employment to rural labor force. This will also help in arresting migration
from rural areas to urban areas.
The state policy seeks improvement of quality of life, generation of productive
employment and removal of regional disparity. Therefore, the focus of employment
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