Leh, Jun 29: Member of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), Dr Asha Lakra, chaired a crucial meeting at the DC office conference hall in Leh, and urged the district administration to ensure timely and adequate funding for ICDS and Mid-Day Meal schemes.
The NCST Member put importance in the nunneries of Leh district, urging the district administration to overlook their funding concerns.
Dr Lakra also commended the dedicated efforts in implementing these vital schemes and urged all departments to foster stronger interdepartmental coordination to enhance their delivery and impact on the ground.
The meeting aimed to thoroughly review the implementation of various welfare programs and centrally sponsored schemes benefiting Scheduled Tribes in the district. This visit followed a similar review conducted by Dr Lakra in the Kargil District.
Key officials in the meeting includes Deputy Commissioner Leh Romil Singh Donk, Senior Superintendent of Police Leh Shruti Arora, Additional Deputy Commissioner Leh Ghulam Mohd, Chief Planning Officer Leh Tsewang Gyalson, Assistant Commissioner Development Leh AG Zargar and others.
Sectoral heads delivered detailed presentations on the status and progress of numerous welfare initiatives. These included the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Mission Shakti, Jal Jevan Mission, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Swachh Bharat Mission, MGNREGA, and the functioning of Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Updates were also provided by departments such as Agriculture, Horticulture, and Cooperatives.
She particularly emphasized the critical importance of active women’s participation across institutions such as the Police Women’s Cell, Self Help Groups, ICDS, etc.
Highlighting the pivotal role of SHGs in women’s empowerment and improving household economic stability, Dr. Lakra advised the development of an NSP portal for scholarship schemes to benefit students pursuing higher education outside the Union Territory.
She also strongly suggested providing robust market linkages for SHG products and recommended establishing a food processing unit to enable SHGs to add value to their goods and significantly increase their income generation.
Furthermore, Dr. Lakra urged the district administration to ensure timely and adequate funding for ICDS and Mid-Day Meal schemes.
She instructed all departments to submit their concerns and any outstanding issues in writing, assuring them that her office would escalate these matters to the relevant Union Government Ministries for appropriate action.
The meeting concluded with the Deputy Commissioner Leh extending his gratitude to Dr. Lakra for her insightful review. He also instructed all concerned departments to coordinate closely with the Chief Planning Officer and submit their respective reports within the next seven days.
The meeting was also attended by Superintending Engineer PWD (R&B), Leh; Superintending Engineer PWD (I&FC/PHE) Leh; District Programme Officer ICDS, Leh; General Manager DIC, Leh; Project Officer Wages (ACD), Leh; Divisional Forest Officer, Leh; District Panchayat Officer, Leh; Chief Medical Officer, Leh; Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Leh; District Sheep Husbandry Officer, Leh; Chief Education Officer, Leh; Chief Agriculture Officer, Leh; District Social Welfare Officer, Leh; Chief Horticulture Officer, Leh; Assistant Director Tourism, Leh; Assistant Director Handicraft, Leh; Assistant Labour Commissioner, Leh; Assistant Director, Fisheries, Leh; Deputy Registrar Cooperative, Leh; Assistant Director Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Leh; Executive Engineer R&B, Leh; Executive Engineer PHE, Leh; Executive Engineer, PWD Leh; District Mineral Officer, Leh; Manager, SC/ST (SIDCO) Leh; All Block Development Officers of Leh District; All Child Development Programme Officers of Leh District; and All Supervisors of the Social Welfare Department, UT Ladakh.
