Leh, Mar 16: Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday called for focused and coordinated administrative efforts to accelerate development in Ladakh and urged senior officials to work with renewed commitment to realise the Union Territory’s full potential.
Chairing a comprehensive review meeting with Administrative Secretaries, Saxena assessed the progress of ongoing projects, government schemes and departmental works across Ladakh. The meeting also reviewed the key challenges faced by departments and explored measures to address them effectively.
The Lieutenant Governor emphasised that Ladakh possesses strong potential across several sectors and said that effective governance and timely execution of projects would play a decisive role in shaping the region’s development trajectory.
Highlighting the role of senior officials in driving governance, Saxena described Administrative Secretaries as the backbone of the administrative system and said their efficiency and dedication would determine the pace of progress in the Union Territory. He added that Ladakh has the capacity to emerge as the best-performing Union Territory in the country if departments work with greater coordination and accountability.
The meeting focused extensively on improving civic infrastructure and urban management in Leh town. Saxena directed authorities to maintain strict standards of cleanliness and ensure a clean and orderly urban environment with zero tolerance for littering. He also pointed out shortcomings in planning in certain areas of Leh and asked departments to initiate corrective planning measures.
The Lieutenant Governor directed the installation of uniform signages across the town and emphasised roadside plantation to help reduce dust and pollution. He also instructed officials to ensure proper road markings, particularly near schools, hospitals and other sensitive locations, along with clearly defined parking and no-parking zones.
To improve public hygiene, Saxena asked departments to ensure regular cleaning of footpaths, preferably twice a week, and to place dustbins at designated locations across the town.
Environmental protection was another major highlight of the meeting. Stressing the need to safeguard Ladakh’s fragile ecosystem, the Lieutenant Governor called for the adoption of a zero-plastic policy across the Union Territory. He also directed departments to plan additional Sewage Treatment Plants while taking into account requirements for the next 15 years.
Saxena suggested the adoption of decentralised sewage treatment systems in remote or difficult areas and emphasised that both Leh and Kargil towns should be developed as zero-discharge urban centres on priority.
Addressing the issue of water scarcity, the Lieutenant Governor asked officials to identify at least 50 suitable locations across Ladakh for the development of water bodies to store snowmelt and glacial runoff. These reservoirs, he said, would support irrigation and help farmers manage water shortages.
Saxena also stressed the need to expand skill development and training programmes in order to strengthen employment opportunities for young people. He said youth should be equipped with the necessary skills to transition from job seekers to job providers.
In the energy sector, the Lieutenant Governor called for exploring Ladakh’s wind energy potential to expand renewable power generation in the region.
He also emphasised strengthening sports infrastructure for young people by developing facilities for activities such as archery, skiing and hot-air ballooning. Suitable locations away from Leh town should be identified for such infrastructure along with essential amenities including restaurants, cafés, public conveniences and parking facilities.
Tourism development formed another major focus of the review meeting. Saxena stressed the need to position Ladakh as the leading tourist destination in the country and proposed the development of tent cities at scenic locations to enhance visitor experience.
He also suggested the introduction of 20-seater luxury buses for tourist transport with a fully online booking system to streamline travel services. The Tourism Department was directed to prepare a comprehensive strategy to strengthen winter tourism so that visitor activity continues throughout the year.
The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted the economic potential of large-scale cultivation of high-value flowers such as tulips, gladiolus and lilies, stating that such initiatives could generate export opportunities and create employment for local residents.
Emphasising the cultural and economic value of Ladakhi Pashmina, Saxena said the traditional product should emerge as a defining identity of the region and called for focused efforts to promote authentic Pashmina while ensuring fair value for local producers.
He further suggested exploring the economic potential of high-quality salt produced in the Tsokar area as a new avenue for employment and local enterprise.
Earlier, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra presented an overview of ongoing projects and government schemes being implemented across Ladakh and briefed the Lieutenant Governor on the administrative issues and challenges faced by departments.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner-Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor Dr L. Franklin and Administrative Secretaries Shashanka Ala, Bhupesh Chaudhary, Baseer-ul-Haq, Sanjit Rodrigues, P. T. Rudra Goud, Bhanu Prabha, Qureshi Tariq Mehmood and Moses Kunzang.
