Chief Secretary announces commencement of preparation for Panchayat elections in Ladakh

Excelsior Correspondent

LEH, Aug 20 : Chief Secretary, Ladakh, Ashish Kundra today addressed a press conference in Leh, outlining key government priorities, initiatives and important developments across various sectors.

The interaction provided an opportunity for an open interaction with the Chief Secretary on issues of public importance and to highlight the Administration’s commitment to transparency, responsive governance and keeping citizens informed.

Briefing on the recruitment status, the Chief Secretary informed that 1,340 of the 1,609 advertised posts under the administrative recruitment process have been filled. In addition, 314 vacancies have been filled through the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) process.

He said recruitment to 302 Group B and Group C posts has been advertised, while the recruitment process for around 1,205 posts is expected to be taken forward in the coming weeks. Recruitment to 40 Sub-Inspector posts has also been initiated, while notifications for Teachers and Police Constables will be issued shortly.

On recruitment through UPSC and for professional posts, the Chief Secretary informed that 224 gazetted vacancies have been notified, including 125 Medical Officer posts, for which interviews are expected to commence next month. He also apprised the media of recruitment and appointments in the teaching and higher education sectors, including Lecturers, Assistant Professors and Associate Professors, with several appointments completed and further recruitment processes scheduled in the coming months.

The Chief Secretary said Ladakh now has seven districts, with the administrative infrastructure, manpower and institutional arrangements being strengthened to ensure efficient and accessible governance. He said that new tehsils have been created in place of 17 Sub-Tehsils in several areas and requests from other areas for tehsil-level administrative arrangements will also be examined to ensure equitable and effective delivery of public services.

On the recently approved land-use change provisions, the Chief Secretary said a mechanism is being established to enable eligible landowners to use agricultural land for permissible non-agricultural purposes, including industrial and other productive activities.

A dedicated portal is being developed to facilitate applications through a transparent and accessible process.

He also announced the decision of the Lieutenant Governor, Ladakh, to regularise long-pending Nautor land tenancy rights, including cases involving unauthorised allotments.

The Chief Secretary reiterated the Administration’s commitment to transparent governance, timely implementation of reforms and continued engagement with the people and stakeholders of Ladakh.