Ladakh gets Rs 5958 cr in budget

Site Selection Panel report awaited on CU in Leh

*Major allocations under Tribal Area Component

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 1: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today announced Rs 5958 crore as the Central Government’s assistance to the Union Territory of Ladakh for next financial year of 2022-23.
The grants were same as given during current financial year of 2021-22.
Regarding setting up of Central University in Leh district in the Union Territory of Ladakh, Sitharaman said the Central university (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for establishment of a Central University namely ‘Sindhu Central University’ was passed on August 12, 2021.
“The Site Selection Committee visited the spot on November 1, 2021 and their report is awaited,” she added.
Setting up of the Central University in Ladakh is long pending demand of the people of Union Territory which has already been conceded by the Central Government.
Out of total Central grants of Rs 5958 crore for the Union Territory of Ladakh for 2022-23, Rs 4011 crore are under Other Central Sector Expenditure and Rs 1946 crore under Establishment Expenditure of the Centre.
Under Scheme of Union Territory, Ladakh has been sanctioned Rs 289.18 crore as Revenue expenditure and Rs 233.47 crore as Capital expenditure.
In the Tribal Area Component, Ladakh will get Rs 274.78 crore as Revenue Expenditure and Rs 3132.64 crore as Capital Expenditure totalling Rs 3407.42 crore.
In Other Central Expenditure, Ladakh will be entitled to Rs 42.99 crore as Revenue Expenditure and Rs 38.60 crore as Capital Expenditure totalling Rs 81.59 crore.
Rs 40.6 crore have been allocated to Ladakh under Urban Development and Assistant to Panchayats. The UT gets Rs 13.48 crore for Anganwadi Centres. it has been allocated Rs 2.7 crore for Women in Distress and Rs 70 lakh for Assistance for Marriage Scheme.
Ladakh has been allocated Rs 10.87 crore for University of Ladakh, Rs 11.32 crore for Municipal Committees of Leh and Kargil and Rs 1.01 crore for Legal Aid Service Authority.
The UT has been allocated Rs 18.02 crore for Assistant to MNC/MNC Council, Rs 5.79 crore for Gram Panchayats, Rs 3.83 crore for Grants to Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Kargil, Rs 6.82 crore as Grants to Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Leh, Rs 1.5 crore for Ladakh Skill Development, Rs 1.66 crore for Legal Aid Service Authority, Rs 2 crore for Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat, Rs 6.2 crore for Panchayat Samiti, Rs .05 crore for Social Security and Welfare and Rs 1 crore for Special Development Package.
As Ladakh is Union Territory without Legislature, it’s all grants are released by the Central Government after finalization by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
However, Jammu and Kashmir is the Union Territory with Legislature and, therefore, it’s budget will be presented separately in the Parliament by the Finance Minister as there is no Assembly in the UT because of delay in conduct of Assembly elections.