Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday constituted a secretary level panel to assist the PM’s Council on Climate Change in implementing the eight missions to fight climate change. Implementation of the missions has been poor with no inter-ministerial coordination resulting in constitution of the Executive Committee on Climate Change to be headed by principal secretary to Prime Minister Pulok Chatterji.

The panel will regularly monitor the implementation of the eight missions, other climate change initiatives and advise the Prime Minister’s council on modifications in the objectives, strategies and structure of the missions.

Environment secretary will act as member-secretary of the committee having secretaries from key economic ministries such as power and urban development as other members.

According to a PMO release, the chairman of Executive Committee on Climate Change may invite any other officer or expert to the meetings as may be necessary.

The Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change was constituted in 2007, in order to co-ordinate National Action for Assessment, Adaptation and Mitigation of Climate Change.

The National Action Plan of Climate Change (NAPCC) was released by the Prime Minister in June, 2008. Under the NAPCC, eight national missions are being implemented with the approval of PM’s Council on Climate Change.