Excelsior Correspondent
KARGIL, Nov 16: While reiterating the resolve of Congress Party to further accelerate the process of development in Ladakh region, former Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad said that Congress Party has the credible distinction of being real friend and well-wisher of the backward and hilly region of Ladakh.
Addressing large public meetings at Padam and Sanku in Zanskar sub- division of Kargil district today, Mr Azad said that the landmark decision of the Congress Party to establish an Autonomous Hill Development Council at Leh in early nineties gave a new model of addressing the legitimate issues and aspirations of the people of neglected areas and pushed them to the mainstream of the developmental process.
Mr Azad, who was accompanied by Congress candidate Ghulam Raza said that this path-breaking model proved to a watershed in satisfying the urges and aspirations of hitherto neglected region of Ladakh, He said that Congress ensured the immediate extension of Autonomous Hill Council to Kargil once it came to power in the State, after allaying the misgivings and apprehensions spread by vested interests.
The AICC leader said that he is extremely happy that the people of Kargil are adequately reaping the benefits of the people-centric and empowering initiatives conceived by the Congress Party to address the local urges and aspirations, in addition to the opening new vistas of progress and prosperity for the people of Kargil.
Urging the people to support overwhelmingly the Congress candidates in the coming Assembly elections, Azad said that he is confident that people of Ladakh, while acknowledging the historic role the Congress Party, will cast their vote in favour of its candidates to continue their journey on the path of progress and prosperity.
He said that the top leadership of Congress Party right from Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi to Sonia Gandhi had a special affinity with Ladakh region. Referring to his association with Ladakh region to speed up the process of socio-economic upliftment and development, Azad said that his first contribution as Deputy Minister of I&B in the Union Government was the setting up local stations of All India Radio at Leh and Kargil way back in 1983.
Azad said that all along his political career, he has strived to foster the process of progress and prosperity in Leh as well as Kargil. He said as MoS Food in the Union Government , he got constructed sufficient food storage go downs in the region to ensure uninterrupted supply of food-grains to the people throughout the year. For up-gradation of Leh Airport and promotion of Leh as an international tourist destination during early nineties are scintillating contributions of his tenure as Union Civil Aviation & Tourism Minister to upgrade the socio-economic profile of the people.
Referring to the steps taken by Congress Party to bring Kargil and Ladakh on the developmental map of the State, Azad said that setting up of Chutak and Nimo Bazgo Hydel Projects, sanctioning of Zojila and Z- Morh tunnels, up-gradation of Srinagar-Leh National Highway are some of the landmark achievements of the Congress Party to bring the remote and far off area of Ladakh into the mainstream. Pointing to the sanctioning of Rs 1800 crores Srinagar-Leh Transmission line by UPA Cabinet towards the fag end of its tenure, Azad said that it will be a step to harness the power potential of Ladakh region.
Azad further said that in view of the strong public demand, UPA Government sanctioned the upgradation of Kargil-Zanskar road as National Highway in 2013 and once the project is completed, people of region will be hugely benefitted by modern road connecting Zanskar with Kargil.
Appreciating the urge of local doctors of Kargil and Leh District Hospitals to learn new techniques and skills, Azad said that as Health Minister he organized short-term training courses for local specialists at world renowned PGI Chandigarh and AIIMS New Delhi to enable them to provide quality healthcare services to the people of Ladakh.
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