The Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) has entered into the second year of its implementation. The Joint Steering Committee (JSC), which is composed of representatives from India and Norway, is the apex decision making body of the activities to be implemented under the NIPI. The meeting of the JSC was held at Oslo, Norway on the 28th of August, 2008.
25/09/2008 :: This was preceded by a seminar on the progress towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. This seminar was attended by the Indian Delegation and eminent experts from both Norway and India.
The high level Indian delegation which visited Oslo for this meeting and the seminar, was headed by the Mr.Naresh Dayal, Hon’ble Secretary- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MOHFW), Government of India(GOI). The delegation included Mr.Girish Chaturvedi, Additional Secretary and Mission Director-NRHM, MOHFW,GOI; Ms Aradhana Johri, Joint Secretary, MOHFW,GOI; Mr. R.K. Meena, Principal Secretary Health, Government of Rajasthan; Mr. V.Srinivas, Secretary Health and Mission Director, Government of Rajasthan; Ms.Alka Upadhyaya, Family Welfare Commissioner and Mission Director, Government of Madhya Pradesh and Mr. S. Lohani, Mission Director, Government of Orissa.
In addition to the above Government officials, the delegation also included Dr.Y.S.Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India, representatives from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, NIPI Secretariat and the Royal Norway Embassy, New Delhi.
The JSC meeting was chaired by Mr.Naresh Dayal, Hon’ble Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and co-chaired by H.E. Ms Ann Ollestad, Ambassador, Royal Norway Embassy, New Delhi. The Norwegian side was represented Dr.Tore Godal, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister; Ambassador Sigrun Møgedal ; Dr. Paul Fife, Director, NORAD and Prof. Sverre Lie, NORAD. The major issues which were discussed in the meeting included the NIPI Strategy document, review of the progress of the activities undertaken under NIPI and approval of Plans and budgets for the activities planned under NIPI by the different implementing agencies.
These meetings were followed by the visit of the Indian delegation to some important Norwegian institutes like the Directorate of Health of Norway, Institute of Public Health and other Norwegian institutes of excellence. These visits provided a wonderful opportunity for the Indian delegation towards learning and information sharing between the two countries.
RNE, New Delhi