The Principal Economic Adviser to Union Finance Minister, Mr. Dipak Dasgupta informed that Government expenditure to meet challenges of climate change has touched 2.8 percent of GDP.

Speaking at the workshop on Financing Strategies for State Action Plans on Climate Change in Bangalore today, he said, the expenditure that stood at 1.4 percent of GDP in 2000-2001, has more than doubled today.

All the states have been asked to prepare State Action plan on climate change, as part of the policy formation at the national level.

Twenty states including Karnataka, Delhi, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh have submitted their action plan, specifying technology and funds required to meet the challenges of climate change in the coming days.

The Inter-Ministerial Expert Committee set up by Ministry of Environment and Forests is reviewing the action plans sent by states.

Mr.Dasgupta informed that Government is working out means to fund such huge expenditure to meet the future challenges of climate change. The Chief Secretary in Karnataka, Mr.S V Ranganath deliberated on the state Government role during the workshop.

He stressed the need to take up energy sector reforms on the same scale as Atomic energy and Space sciences.

Saying that 14 flagship programmes of Government of India should have a component on climate change, he noted that 10 percent of the funds under these programmes should be meant for afforestation.

Mr.Ranganath also observed that Government subsidies need to be streamlined for proper spending.