Bhupender Yadav chaired the meeting of the High Powered Steering Committee under the NIRANTAR platform in Bhopal on February 28, 2026, underscoring the need for stronger institutional coordination and capacity development in the forestry and environmental sectors.
The meeting, held under the Capacity Development Support vertical of NIRANTAR, brought together senior officials of the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change and representatives of all participating NIRANTAR institutions.
The Indian Institute of Forest Management Bhopal, designated as the lead institution for the Capacity Development vertical, made a detailed presentation outlining the capacity building initiatives undertaken so far and the roadmap ahead under the platform.
The presentation highlighted short term and medium term action plans, scientist development programmes, joint training modules and collaborative initiatives among participating institutions. It also emphasised the importance of strengthening coordinated training efforts, preparing composite training plans and facilitating knowledge exchange across institutions to avoid duplication and improve outcomes.
In his address, Bhupender Yadav stated that NIRANTAR was conceived as a collaborative mechanism to enhance institutional synergies, promote demand driven research and build professional capacity in forestry and environmental governance. He stressed the importance of integrated planning, innovation and alignment of institutional activities with national priorities, including sustainable forest management and climate resilience.
He called upon all participating institutions to work in a coordinated and mission oriented manner to ensure effective implementation of the platform’s objectives and to strengthen the institutional architecture supporting environmental conservation and forestry management in the country.
