Group picture of Uttarakhand - Municipal Corporations and Organizers
From 13 to 17 October, FSDO implemented a Peer Learning Workshop on Infrastructure Asset Management (IAM) for local government officials in Uttarakhand, India. The workshop brought together over 50 senior officials and key stakeholders from more than eight local governments, including Dehradun, Pithoragarh, Nainital, Roorkee, Rudraprayag, Khatima, Haldwani, Almora, and Udham Singh Nagar. The objective of the workshop was to strengthen institutional capacity for implementing and financing sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure asset management.
Through interactive sessions, hands-on exercises, and field visits to asset management facilities, participants explored the fundamentals of data-driven decision- making, lifecycle financing, and climate-resilient asset management. The workshop highlighted the role of IAM as a cross-cutting whole-of-government approach to advancing sustainable, resilient, and inclusive development. As part of the workshop’s conclusion, participants reviewed and voted on the most actionable Asset Management Action Plans (AMAPs) developed during the week. The top three AMAPs were selected for presentation at a high-level meeting convened by the state government, attended by more than 40 senior officials, including Principal Secretaries, Additional Secretaries, and Directors from key departments of the Government of Uttarakhand. During this session, local government representatives highlighted both their plans and their needs for continued technical and financial support to implement improved asset management practices. In response, the state leadership reaffirmed its commitment to translate the UN Handbook on Infrastructure Asset Management into Hindi, adapt it to the Indian context, and explore the establishment of a dedicated Center of Excellence for IAM training in India, with further discussions between UN DESA and the Government of Uttarakhand to follow.