Dehradun, Nov. 25 -- A high-level meeting of the steering committee of the JICA-funded Uttarakhand Integrated Horticulture Development Project was held at the state Secretariat on Monday under the chairmanship of chief secretary Anand Bardhan, who directed officials to expedite planning and implementation for the multi-year initiative. The Chief Secretary instructed departments to prepare a detailed financial and physical plan for the project, which aims to strengthen horticulture-based livelihoods across the state. He said that senior officials must conduct regular field visits to districts to monitor progress and gather ground-level feedback. Highlighting the need for convergence of government schemes, Bardhan directed officers to integrate livelihood programmes related to fruits and vegetables from other departments into the JICA project to ensure development. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the governmental arm of Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA), funds international development projects by providing financial, technical and grant assistance across sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, health and education. The ongoing horticulture initiative in Uttarakhand is among JICA's key collaborations with the state government....