Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 23: Stating that severe resource constraints have reduced the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) of Leh and Kargil to mere showpieces without being able to generate any tangible outputs, the Chief Executive Councilors of both the Hill Councils have sought the personal intervention of Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh in release of a fair amount of one time grant by the Central Government and a substantial increase in the annual allocations as per budgetary requirement of twin Councils.
In a joint representation to the Prime Minister, the CEC of Leh Rigzin Spalbar and his Kargil counterpart Kachoo Ahmed Ali Khan said that following prolonged demand from the people of the region, the Central and the State Governments agreed to grant Ladakh the status of Autonomous Hill Development Council, which came into being with the holding of elections on August 28, 1995 in Leh and in 2003 in Kargil.
The very basic objective of the special dispensation was to promote decentralized, participative and holistic planning process in meeting the local needs and to bridge the critical gaps in development of this remote Western Himalayan region which has its own additional set of problems unlike other regions of the State and country.
However, due to the callous attitude of the Central and State Governments the institutionalization of LAHDCs has not taken according to a consistent logic, they regretted.
“Ever since their creation, the Hill Councils are being provided State funds as per normal budgeting procedures and there is no process of devolution of funds nor does any system exist for fixing a reasonable amount of grant-in-aid at the Central and State Government levels with the result LAHDCs are starved of funding and are dependent only on the normal budgetary grants”, they said, adding “to aggravate the matter further the State Government even stopped the customary step up on the annual allocations for the last several years despite steep cost escalation all through and thus further impeding the developmental prospects”.
Stating that the process of empowerment of the LAHDCs require more fundamental changes in the allocation of resources by the Central and State Governments to enable the institutions to play any meaningful role in the inclusive and sustainable growth of the neglected and marginalized region, the CECs said, “there is an urgent need to revise the criteria of allocation of resources by the Planning Commission by earmarking separate grants in plan assistance to the LAHDCs in view of the distinct socio-economic development parameters and geographical disadvantages peculiar to the region”.
Keeping in view the needs and aspirations of the people, LAHDC Leh embarked on formulation of Prospective Plan for 12th five year plan with objective of realization of the goals of “Ladakh Vision 2025” the copies of which have already been submitted to all concerned at the Centre and State, the communication signed by CECs said.
“We are already in the process of deliberations with the State Government with regard to the provision of the LAHDCs Act and its implementation for empowerment of the LAHDCs”, the CECs said, adding “as we are still suffering due to the absence of greater clarity on these issues, we are approaching you with the hope that in the coming months the Central and State Governments demonstrate a clear intent to move beyond the hype and outline clear strategies for financial empowerment of LAHDCs in real sense”.
“The LAHDCs require considerable guidance and unstinted support from the highest level in the Central and State Governments for sustained source of funds to help the Councils to lend speed to developmental programmes”, the CECs said with the hope that the Prime Minister will take personal interest in release of a fair amount of one time grant by the Central Government to strengthen the LAHDCs and a substantial increase in the annual allocations as per budgetary requirement of the twin LAHDCs.
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