Leh/New Delhi, Feb 28: Advocate Tashi Gyalson, former Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, on Friday called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and placed before him a detailed account of pressing administrative and land-related concerns confronting the Union Territory.
The meeting was held in the presence of Tarun Chugh, National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
During the interaction, Gyalson apprised the Home Minister of recent deliberations concerning Ladakh’s governance structure, developmental trajectory and policy requirements. He emphasised the need for timely decisions on matters that directly affect institutional efficiency and public administration in the Union Territory.
Foremost among the issues raised was the formal notification and operationalisation of newly proposed administrative districts in Ladakh. Gyalson underscored that clarity in district-level administration would strengthen service delivery and improve grassroots governance.
He also highlighted concerns relating to recruitment procedures and career progression avenues for feeder cadre officers within the Union Territory administration, calling for a structured framework to ensure stability and professional growth.
On environmental governance, Gyalson advocated rationalisation of wildlife conservation boundaries and related regulations to ensure ecological safeguards remain balanced with the livelihood imperatives of local communities. He stressed that policy calibration must account for Ladakh’s unique terrain and socio-economic realities.
Land reform constituted a substantial component of the memorandum submitted to the Home Minister. Gyalson pointed out that private land in Ladakh constitutes less than seven per cent of the total landmass—among the lowest ratios nationally—and that nearly 80 per cent of this falls under agricultural or nautor classifications. He argued that such constraints necessitate a context-sensitive land policy.
In this regard, he sought a review of the 1960 Order No. 273 issued under the earlier agrarian reforms framework of Jammu and Kashmir, proposing a rational enhancement of land ceiling limits in view of Ladakh’s limited cultivable area and short agricultural season. He further recommended permitting flexible land use within permissible limits to enable landowners to pursue legitimate livelihood options suited to local climatic conditions.
Addressing the issue of nautor land, Gyalson suggested progressive norms that would facilitate sustainable alternative uses while avoiding excessive categorisation that could hinder administrative clearances. He also proposed a one-time, time-bound window for regularisation of past unauthorised land uses, drawing upon precedents under the Jammu and Kashmir Land Revenue Act, so as to align long-standing ground realities with statutory provisions.
Calling for a balanced and forward-looking policy approach, Gyalson urged that Ladakh’s land and administrative framework must safeguard local rights while taking into account the region’s fragile ecology, limited cultivable base and distinct socio-economic character.
During the meeting, Gyalson, along with Chugh, also conveyed appreciation to the Home Minister for facilitating the forthcoming exposition of the Buddha Holy Relics in Ladakh. They described the initiative as an event of profound spiritual and cultural importance for the people of the region.
The meeting and submission of the detailed representation reflect continued engagement between Ladakh’s leadership and the Union Government on matters central to governance reform and cultural affirmation in the Union Territory.
