Ever since its reorganisation as a separate Union Territory, Ladakh is riding on a massive wave of development and growth. The achievements in last six years are aplenty; too many to be confined, while the developmental projects in last six years are numerous, much more than what the Cold Desert got in the 70 years prior to that. At The Earth News, we aim to shed light on some of these achievements, as the Ladakh administration works towards meeting the broad vision set by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the UT of Ladakh. Under the guidance of the Home Minister Amit Shah, the administration of the UT Ladakh, spearheaded by Lieutenant Governor Brigadier (retd) B D Mishra, is striving to meet the aspiration of the people for a prosperous Ladakh driven primarily by underlying principles of sustainability as well as cultural harmony.
Brighter, Cleaner, & a Better Ladakh
Ladakh’s unique geography makes the union territory home to one of the highest amounts of solar radiation in the country, with a huge potential of harnessing solar energy. The region has always stood up as the epicentre of sustainable development in the entire country, and after the union government envisioned the Carbon Neutral Ladakh in its Vision 2047, the administration has been striving tirelessly to achieve the same, ever since the reorganisation of the region into a Union Territory.
India takes great pride in telling the world that Carbon neutrality for Ladakh is not a mitigation goal, but a development vision, which should be achieved through a ‘Citizen Movement’. The Centre government and UT administration has taken it upon itself, as it embedded Carbon Neutrality in every department’s vision and action plan, to lead people by example.
The government is striving to minimise the carbon footprints in new developmental projects and striving to find solutions for existing projects. Solar Water lifting, solar street lighting, winter friendly solar passive buildings, geo-thermal energy for space heating and introduction of E-buses and cars are some of the significant steps already taken in this direction. Renewable energy sources are being tapped and Solar Power Projects, Geothermal power projects, Hydel projects are being set up while DG sets are being phased out.
Ladakh’s first Infrastructure Revolution
After repeated neglect and discrimination meted out to it over the years, Ladakh was always poised to achieve a major breakthrough in terms of infrastructural development after the region was granted the Union Territory status. The achievements reflect that it was indeed the case, with the Centre and UT administration leaving no stone unturned in turning the tide, in terms of connectivity, access to clean water and electricity, as well as telecommunication advances, with a dedicated Integrated Multi-purpose Infrastructure Development Corporation established by Union Government in Ladakh.
There has been a major focus on increasing internal and external connectivity through black topped and all-weather roads aided by new tunnels, bridge and top notch snow clearance mechanism, new helipads and helicopter services. Once distant from any type of mobile coverage, now the farthest corners of Ladakh have access to telecommunication networks, enabling the residents in remotest of villages to access various digital services.
The remotest of the villages in Ladakh are now provided with grid connectivity, with solar street lights bringing cheers to hundreds of residents. Clean water has long been a valued and scarce resource in the mountain desert of Ladakh and the UT administration has made gigantic efforts to ensure that Ladakhis get clean and pure water, with almost entirety of the UT now covered with Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC).
Ladakhis at the heart of Governance
Ever since the formation of the union territory, the Centre and the Ladakh governments have made sustained efforts to create a transparent, accountable and people-centric administration in the region. While Centre effected a six-fold increase in the budget allocation to Ladakh to enable the new UT to grow, the UT administration has ensured that it does its best. The Ladakh integrated Financial Management System (LIFMS) was implemented for paperless budgeting for effective monitoring, budget planning and expenditure audit. Intensive and extensive capacity building and skills upgradation of manpower have been taken up for efficient governance.
The UT administration has presented itself as a model of administrative excellence in successful national governance initiatives, including digital governance, citizen-centric grievance redressal and digital interventions in the implementation of welfare programmes, leading to improved public service delivery by e-governance, and an accountable, transparent and citizen-friendly effective administration.
Financial services have expanded in Ladakh post formation of UT with banking services reaching remotest villages. Combined with the e-banking system and other online services offered on e-seva portal like birth and death registration, scholarships, pensions, driving license, effort has been made to make the life of citizens easier through digital services. Policing has been made responsive with establishment of Emergency Response Support System 112. Cyber-crime unit has been set up with a state-of–the-art Cyber Lab having cyber forensic capabilities. Dedicated wing of Anti-Narcotics and illicit liquor Crime detection and Investigation teams set up.
Strengthening UT, One Student at a time
The interventions made by the Centre and the UT administration in Ladakh ever since its inception as a Union Territory has brought the education ecosystem in the region at par with the best in the country, leading to substantial improvement in the quality of education, besides enhancing the enrolment and retention indicators. There is now a Cluster University in Ladakh while a Central University is also in the making.
Concerted efforts are being made to revamp the education system in Ladakh to ensure that no child remains bereft of quality education. In what could be termed as harbinger of a new era, all schools across the UT now stand affiliated to the Central Board of School Education (CBSE), a significant move which will enhance the participation of students of Ladakh at national level examinations.
To cover the digital divide among students of various areas and also to provide hybrid education to cope up winter challenges, all students of government schools from class 6th to 12th were provided digital educational tablets (YOUNTAB) with online/offline educational contents. With the intensive capacity building workshops and training of the teachers, the education delivery system is improving resulting in higher enrolment.
The infrastructure in the Higher Education sector is being strengthened with students Hostels, sports facilities and modern laboratories in all the Colleges and the University of Ladakh. The number of courses being offered in the colleges and University has increased over the past three years.
An Inclusive Ladakh, The Uplifted Ladakhis
The Centre and Ladakh administration has been working day in and day out for the inclusive growth and welfare of the residents of the Union Territory, making gigantic efforts for the efficient and successful implementation of various social welfare schemes, ever since the formation of Ladakh UT. Effective implementation has been ensured of a number of such schemes of the Government of India including coverage of every eligible person with scholarship, pension and other beneficiary schemes.
We witnessed a full year being declared as the Year of Persons with Disabilities in Ladakh with the vision to make every public building and government services accessible to persons with disabilities. 100% coverage of Unique Identity Cards for PwD that will make all benefits available to them has been taken up in a mission mode, besides distribution of tri-scooters, battery-run wheelchairs, walking aids and other aids required for the special needs of the individuals.
Infrastructural support in terms of Child Care Institutions, Working Women Hostel and Old Age Home has been taken up and the Helpline for Senior Citizens, ‘Elderline’ has also been launched in the region. The administration has ensured successful implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana programme with an aim to ensure housing for all, even as it has helped the poor section of the society through PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi program, to help them resume their livelihoods affected due to COVID-19 lockdown.
A global tourism destination
Ladakh has, for long, remained one of the most fascinating tourist destinations across the globe, pulling visitors from all over the country and the world, alike, with a huge potential to become a truly global tourism destination. With the region getting a full-fledged UT status, the Centre government and the UT administration has made the best of the sea of opportunities in terms of expansion of tourism and allied sectors, for prosperity, that stand Infront of Ladakh, today.
With the sustainability of the environment and local interests at the heart of its agenda, some major initiatives have been taken in these years, concerning the Tourism sector. Home Stay Policy has been formulated to encourage rural tourism and equitably spread the tourism economy between rural and urban centres, while the administration has been actively promoting Zanskar, Drass and Changthang as new tourist destinations.
The administration has opened several areas, earlier restricted to promote tourism in border areas, while round the year tourism is being encouraged through various initiatives, with the highlight being the Dark Sky Sanctuary at Hanle, a destination for Astro tourism adding a new dimension to experiential tourism.
Agri-Horti: Reviving Lost Hopes
The adversaries of Climate Change, besides the availability of easier and alternative avenues such as tourism and defence, had led to the neglect of agriculture and horticulture sectors in Ladakh, over the time. However, ever since the formation of union territory, the Centre and Ladakh administration has fought back the difficulties and revived the lost hopes of Ladakhis, with a major push to boost agriculture and horticulture sectors, pursuing the revival of the primary sector.
This revival is fuelled by modern mechanisms and tools and egged on by various subsidy schemes. Overcoming the scarcity of water sources, the administration has introduced micro irrigation of drip and sprinkle systems, riding strong on the back of the financial support of Special Development Package to Ladakh given by the Centre since 2021-22.
A large number of Poly Greenhouses and Vermi-Compost Units have been established and subsidies provided to the farmers for purchasing Horticulture Machinery. Large area has been brought under the Micro Irrigation programme. Increased fund outlay in Animal Husbandry along with capacity building initiatives are helping farmers and nomads of Changthang to increase the animal produce be it wool, pashmina or milk.
Healthy Ladakhis, Healthy Ladakh
Ladakh’s focussed approach towards strengthening the healthcare facilities, helped it emerge as one of the best regions of India in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. Even as the health department braved the challenges put forth by the pandemic, the Centre and UT administration has ensured that the health facilities in the UT are further reinforced, and the results are visible.
Ever since becoming a UT, Ladakh administration has been hugely successful in bringing about a transformation in a short span by upgrading the facilities in the district hospitals of Leh and Kargil and opening of new Hospitals and Primary Health Centres.
High end equipment, which once seemed out of reach for Ladakhis, has been procured in recent times, providing the most sophisticated health services to the people in Ladakh itself, even as Central schemes like Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, Universal Health Insurance and PMJAY have been intensively implemented with significant coverage of beneficiaries.
Employability & Entrepreneurship
Ladakh’s unique conditions like high altitude, extreme climate, vast geographical area and inaccessibility have long hindered the employability and entrepreneurship prospects of its residents, most of whom had to move out of their homes to different parts of the country in search of better opportunities. Ever since the reorganisation of the region, the Centre and UT Administration has paid special attention on skill development of the youth to keep up with the market demands of skilled personnel, further boosting their employability prospects, besides boosting the employment opportunities in more than one ways.
The administration was able to look beyond the challenges and focus on untapped potential of Ladakh to generate employment for youth and significant monetary gains, by inculcating and promoting entrepreneurship skills among the residents through Apprenticeship Mela, Self-Employment Fair etc. Various schemes of the government have helped budding entrepreneurs. Ladakh has witnessed success stories of young entrepreneurs in the field of retail, food processing, handloom, fashion industry, food craft, travel and tourism in the past three years.
