Vivek ChhetriThe meeting of the Integrated Mountain Initiative in Darjeeling on FridayDarjeeling: A civil society group seeking separate development policies for hill states renewed its demand on Friday at a meeting in Darjeeling attended by representatives from 12 hill states. The Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI), floated in 2011, draws members from different walks of life including bureaucracy, politics, academicians and students among others. "Probably, (we need a) separate ministry for mountainous states or at least separate policies for hilly states," said Jaswal. The ministry of environment, forests and climate change has now created a separate mountain division. Such consultative work will be held in all hill states," Rao added.

Source: The Telegraph March 23, 2018 19:41 UTC