CURRICULUM VITAE OF

SHARMA, DEVINDER KUMAR

Name Sharma, Devinder Kumar

Date of Birth 25th November, 1947

Place of Birth Pragpur, District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Permanent Address “Sanctuary”, B-73, Sector II,

Main Road, New Shimla,
Shimla-171009, India.

Academic achievements

Level Year of University Division /

passing Grade Point
Average
High School 1963 Panjab Univ. First,
Chandigarh 68 %
Higher 1964 Panjab Univ. First,
Secondary Chandigarh 66%
B.Sc. Hons. 1968 Punjab Agri. 3.57 / 4.00
(Agr. & A.H) University,
Ludhiana
M.Sc. 1970 Punjab Agri. 3.35 / 4.00
Statistics University,
Ludhiana
Important Trainings,
Seminars, Workshops
and International Exposures

Year/Duration Programme Institution

May,1976, Manpower Planning at Institute of Applied
one week State Level Manpower Res.,
New Delhi.
Jan.-Feb. State Planning with a Jawaharlal Nehru
1977, background of Macro University, New
8 weeks Planning Delhi.
April-May, International Training UN Centre for
1987, Course in Regional Regional
8 weeks Development Planning Development,
Nagoya, Japan.
June-August, Economic Policy & University of Oslo,
1993, Planning and Norway.
7 weeks Contemporary Problems
in Government and
Politics
August, 1993 Study tour on Various Institutions
Two weeks Norwegian Economy, in Norway in Oslo,
Industry, Hydro- Trondheim,
electricity and Tromso, Bergen
Environment and Stavenger.
22-24 July, Regional meet of International
1996 experts on integrated Centre for
planning for Integrated
environmental and Mountain
economic development Development,
in mountain areas. Kathmandu, Nepal
19-20 Expert meet on ICIMOD,
January, development policies for Kathmandu, Nepal
1998 mountain areas.
September- Integrating Institute for
 Oct., 1998, Environmental Development
5 weeks Assessment and
Policy and
Economic and Social
management, The
Appraisal for
Victoria University
Development Projects
of Manchester, UK
May, 1999, Decentralisation and
ISEC, Bangalore
One week making of Economicand World Bank
Policy Institute
April, 2005, Human Development
Reserve Bank of
one week and State FinancesIndia College of
Agri. Banking,
Pune, India
20-27 World Water Week- Swedish
August, 2005 2005, Stockholm. International Water
one week Institute,
Stockholm,
Sweden.

Service Record

Position Tenure Institution

Visiting Professor August, 2010 Faculty of
of Statistics* onwards Statistics, Eternal
University, Baru
Sahib, District
Sirmaur, HP
Technical Adviser* May, 2010 Sai Engineering
onwards Foundation,
Shimla, HP
Adviser* April, 2010 MyHimachal, an
onwards NGO based in US
and India and
functioning in Kullu
district, Himachal
Pradesh.
Principal Adviser 1.12.2006 onwards State Finance
 (Planning) cum till May, 2007 (Re- Commission,
Member Secretary, employment) Himachal Pradesh
State Finance
Commission
Principal Adviser 1st December, Planning
2005 to Department, Govt.
30.11.2006 (Re- of Himachal
employment) Pradesh, Shimla
Principal Adviser 28th September, Planning
cum Secretary 2000 to 30th Department, Govt.
(Planning) November, 2005 of Himachal
(Superannuation) Pradesh, Shimla
Principal Adviser 1st August, 1998 to Same as above
(Planning) 27th September,
2000
Adviser (Planning) 1st January, 1986 Same as above
to 31st July, 1997
Director (Planning) 9th January, 1985 Same as above
to 31st December,
1985
Deputy Director 15th September, Same as above
(Planning) 1983 to 8th
January, 1985
Senior Research 2nd May, 1980 to Same as above
Officer 14th September,
1983
Research Officer 20th May, 1976 to Same as above
1st May, 1980
Statistical 1st January, 1972 Economics and
Assistant to 19th May, 1987 Statistics
Department, HP
th
Lecturer 24 December, Punjab Agricultural
1970 to 31st University,
December, 1971 Ludhiana
*: These engagements are concurrent and are being carried
out simultaneously.

Additional Assignments held

 Position Tenure Institution
Assistant 9th January,1981 to Tribal
Commissioner 14th November, Development
(Tribal Dev.) 1984 Department, HP
Govt.
Nodal Officer for 1985 onwards Govt. of HP,
Externally Aided Planning
Projects. Department.
th
Director 4 February, 1986 Govt. of HP
Computerisation to December, 1990
Member Secretary, 1987-1989 Govt. of HP
Price Support
Board.
Member Secretary, 1993 onwards Planning
State Planning Department,
Board. Government of HP
rd
Member Secretary, 23 April, 1994 to First State Finance
First State Finance 30th November, Commission, HP
Commission 1996
Member Secretary, 5th September, Second State
th
Second State 1998 to 24 Finance
Finance October, 2002 Commission, HP
Commission
State Coordinator 1998-2004 Planning
for State Commission,
Development GOI/Govt. of HP
Report.
Member Secretary, 26th May, 2005 to Third State
th
Third State 30 November, Finance
Finance 2006 Commission
Commission
State Coordinator 2003 onwards UNDP/Govt. of
for Human India/Govt. of HP
Development

Brief Description of the Job Responsibilities

1. Planning Department:-
The basic responsibilities in various positions in the
Planning Department include formulation of State’s five
year and annual plans, over seeing the plan
implementation, monitoring, coordination with State
Government Departments and various Ministries in the
Government of India, Evaluation, Manpower Planning,
project formulation and all such activities which have a
direct bearing on the developmental scenario of the
State. As Principal Adviser-cum-Secretary(Planning) to
the Government, all these responsibilities devolve on
the incumbent who also advises the political executive
on such matters. In the course of the service, I have
been intimately involved in the area of Public Finance
which includes the issues of resource generation, cost
recovery, pricing of public goods and services and
resources of the State government and the PSUs like
the HPSEB and HRTC. I also possess a fairly good
level of knowledge of the power sector, specially the
costs of generation and service delivery including the
financing of the power sector activities.

2. State Finance Commission:-

The State Finance Commissions came to be
constituted pursuant to the 73rd and 74th amendments
to the constitution of India under the provisions of
Article 348(3) and also the follow up legislation
conducted by the various State Governments on rural
and urban local governments. The Member Secretary
of the State Finance Commission is the key functionary
in the process of assessment of the financial position of
the local governments and also in firming up the
recommendations of the Commission in regard to
assessment of resources and expenditure of the local
governments and for devolution of resources from the
State Government to the local governments. It is an
extremely important assignment since on it hinges the
whole process of decentralization and devolution from
the State level to the local governments. The work of
 the First State Finance Commission was path breaking
in the sense that it was the first ever process for
devolution of financial resources to the local
governments.

3. Tribal Development Department:-

As Assistant Commissioner for development of
scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, I was heading
the office responsible for all the planning functions for
the tribal sub plan as also the special component plan
for scheduled castes. Both the sub plans began as new
concepts in the 1970’s and afforded great opportunities
for innovating systems and processes for speedy
development of the scheduled castes population and
the tribal areas which had been in a state of neglect for
long.

4. Eternal University, Baru Sahib:-

I am presently visiting / adjunct faculty of Statistics at
the Eternal University, Baru Sahib where I am engaged
in teaching Statistics for Economists to the B.Sc.
(Hons.) course in Economics in the Akal School of
Economics and Bio-Statistics to the Master’s
programme in Public Health (MPH) in the Akal School
of Public health and Nursing. The University does not
receive any public funding.

5. Sai Engineering Foundation:-

In my capacity as Adviser to the Foundation, I am
looking after the policy issues of governance,
development, charity and general guidance. The
Foundation is a non-profit organization and it generates
financial resources for charity and philanthropy for wide
range of activities by providing consultancy and
services in the fields of construction; design in civil,
electrical and mechanical engineering fields; and
hydro-electricity generation in ownership and joint
ventures.

6. MyHimachal NGO:-
 This is an Indo-US NGO based in Kullu district of
Himachal Pradesh and is engaged in sustainable rural
development at the micro level. I am working with this
entity as Adviser in a variety of areas. The NGO and its
activities are presently funded by contributions but it
aims at supplementing its resources and activity base
by getting involved with the government run
programmes which also subserve the same objectives
as the NGO.

Areas of Special Interest

1. Federal fiscal structure and design of inter-

governmental transfers on the spatial plane.
2. Local Government Finances.
3. Financing of Developmental plans of the States.
4. Financing of infrastructure.
5. Decentralisation of developmental processes, functions
and funds.
6. Tackling micro-regional disparities in development.
7. Programme formulation and coordination of
developmental efforts for the under-privileged and
special target groups including the gender dimension.
8. Environmental planning and impact assessment.
9. Planning for mountain area development.
9. Programme evaluation and concurrent monitoring.

Membership of Policy and programme

committees

I have been a member on a wide range of policy and

programme committees constituted by various agencies. Some of the
important committees, task groups or task forces on which I am a
member are listed below:-
 1. Committee on geo-informatic research and training
appointed by the HP Agricultural University, Palampur.
2. State Level Screening Committee for Swayamsidha
programme.
3. Himachal Pradesh Investment Promotion Board.
4. State Task Force on Biotechnology.
5. Himachal Pradesh Tourism promotion Board.
6. Governing Council for DFID, UK funded HP Forestry Sector
Reforms Project.
7. Executive Body for State Council for Science, Technology
and Environment.
8. State Council for Vocational Training.
9. State Advisory Board on Education.
10. Governing Body of the State Rural Health Mission.
11. State Water and sanitation Mission.
12. Gujjar Welfare board.
13. Gaddi Welfare Board.
14. Scheduled Caste Development Board.
15. Scheduled Tribes Development Board.
16. Kabirpanthi Development Board.
17. Labana Development Board.
18. Gorkha Development Board.
19. State land Use and Wasteland Development Board.
20. Core Committee for preparation of the State Development
Report for HP constituted by the Planning Commission,
Government of India.
21. State Steering Committee on Rural Development
Programmes.
22. State Level Technical Management Committee for Dairy
development.
23. State Level Screening Committee for co-operative sector
projects for NCDC funding
24. Consultative Group on regional balance and planning
constituted by the Planning Commission, Government of
India.
25. Core group on Wage Policy for Contractual Employment by
State government and parastatals.
26. Internal Coordination Group of the Finance Department.
27. Executive Committee for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
28. State Seed and Organic Produce Certification Agency.
29. Committee to look into the financial losses of the State
Forest Corporation.
30. Governing Body of Himurja (State Agency for promotion of
non-conventional energy sources).
31. State Level Bankers Committee.
32. State Level Committee on crop insurance.
33. State Livestock Development Board.
34. H.P. State Eco-development Society.
35. High Level Committee on implementation of Twelfth Finance
Commission recommendations.
36. High Powered Committee on implementation of NABARD
funded programmes.
37. State Level Steering Committee on Border Area
Development Programme.

Brief Detail of the work done

Over the last three decades, I have been associated in

undertaking primary and secondary level research and
developmental studies besides a wide range of evaluation and
impact studies. Starting with the thesis work for the award of
degree of Master of Science in Statistics, I have undertaken over
100 studies, research papers, conference contributions and
drafting of the State’s five year and annual plans. I provided key
inputs into the finalization of the State Development Report in
collaboration with the Planning Commission. This report launched
in 2004 not only analyses the past development trends but also
encompasses the comprehensive analysis of strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats for future development of
the State.

I was the principal author of the State Human

Development Report-2002 for Himachal Pradesh which was the
first ever effort of its kind in the State. This work was undertaken
in collaboration with UNDP and Planning Commission.
 I was also intimately associated with the preparation
and finalization of the first ever “State of the Environment Report”
for Himachal Pradesh. I was also on the editorial board for
finalization of this report. The State of the Environment Report for
Himachal Pradesh led to pronouncement of the State
Environment Policy in the year 1999.

I contributed papers on such international forums which

deal with the issues of Hill and Mountain Area Development and
these papers have been duly recognized and internalized into the
development philosophy of Himachal Pradesh as well.

I have undertaken finance study on behalf of the World

Bank for Education Sector in Himachal Pradesh which was the
precursor of the DPEP intervention for Universalisation of Primary
Education in Himachal Pradesh.

As Member Secretary of the successive State Finance

Commissions, I was also principal author of the reports of the
State Finance Commissions. These reports have led to a better
appreciation of the financial issues of the third level of
governance i.e. the Panchayati Raj and the Urban Local
Government Institutions.

The list of publications which I have conducted or

completed or guided the finalization of can be supplied depending
upon the area of interest of any institution or individual.

I have been intimately involved in developing wide

range of policy initiatives in the field of Planning and
Development in the State. Most of such innovations have been
approved by the State Government for adoption and also adopted
by other State Governments.

Over the last three decades, I have also been closely

involved in the process of formulation of the State budget. I have
also significantly added to the content and quality of the State
memoranda to the National Finance Commissions and the Union
Government.
 A long time continuity of nearly 33 years in dealing with
the financial and developmental issues of Himachal Pradesh has
helped me acquire a deep insight and intimate understanding of
the complex processes for dealing with development and
choosing the right mix of programmes and priorities for the State
of Himachal Pradesh in particular, and those for the mountainous
areas, in general.