Cong promises 6th Schedule status
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Oct 7: Allaying the fears of Ladakhis of losing jobs and land in case the newly created Union Territory was not given protection under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, Union Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur today said that the Himalayan region will be given all protection through the Constitutional mechanism by Narendra Modi Government to protect their ethnicity, jobs, culture, language, land and employment.
Click here to watch video
Thakur, who reached Leh this morning to formally launch party’s poll campaign for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh which is going to polls on October 22 while talking to reporters said that Modi Government is committed to protect the culture and ethnicity of Ladakh besides its holistic development.
Highlighting the slew of measures taken by Modi Government for development of the region, he said Ladakhis need not to worry as they will get more than 6th Schedule.
He said all the vacant posts will be filled up and funds utilized through public representatives besides, the Hill Development Councils of both districts of Leh and Kargil will be given Executive powers.
Maintaining that Modi is committed to welfare of Ladakh, he said all the issues pertaining to region will be solved on the same pattern as Ladakh was granted UT status after seven decades by Modi Government which was a long pending demand of the people of this region. “But no Government settled this issue except Modi’’, he added.
He said not only present Government granted UT status to Ladakh but also made it a division which too was the long pending demand of the people of this region. “This shows our commitment to Ladakh and its people’’, he added.
He said budget for Ladakh was enhanced five times and instead of Rs 55 crore it was hiked to Rs 232 crore. Besides, Rs 2.50 crore were given to LAHDC, Leh to fight COVID pandemic and Rs 3.5 lakh to Kargil for the same purpose.
The Union Minister said that to ensure the development of this hilly region where the execution of works can not be done for six months due to vagaries of weather, funds provided for the financial year were made non lapsable. Under this system, the funds for development works which could not be constructed during the financial year due to bad weather conditions could be utilized next year, he added.
Maintaining that Modi Government believes in Cooperative Federalism, Thakur said that the Prime Minister talks of uniform progress and development of all parts of country. He said many decades passed but the long pending demand of Ladakh regarding grant of UT status was not fulfilled and it was Narendra Modi only who fulfilled the demand keeping in view the aspirations of the people of the region.
Thakur said it was the concern of PM that he brought back 1000 people of Ladakh trapped in Gulf countries after the spread of COVID there. He said “Our Government is committed that Ladakh should emerge as one of the most developed parts of the country and in this regard many projects and schemes were sanctioned by the present Government”.
He said an Engineering College is being established at Ladakh besides, a University was already sanctioned. The Minister said the establishment of Institute of Buddhist Studies in Ladakh has been given preference by Modi Government and people from abroad will come for study and research there. Besides, Cricket Academy will also be established in the Himalayan region and in 20 Government schools of Ladakh UT NCC will be started by creating 20 new centers of NCC, he added.
He said the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies will be a deemed University beside the Hotel Management Institute has been sanctioned for Ladakh. The Modi Government wants development of sustainable tourism here which will be different than other tourist resorts of the country, he added.
The Minister said this Government has ensured 24 hour power supply in Ladakh and installation of 54 mobile towers has been started which will be joined with satellite. Besides, 6471 vacancies are being filled up and 250 bore wells will be dug to overcome the water scarcity.
Thakur said as Modi Government has given many gifts to this region and in lieu of that the people of the region have to strengthen his hands by casting their vote on October 22 elections in favour of BJP candidates to ensure the development of the region.
Meanwhile Congress in its manifesto promised to pass the demand of 6th Schedule on the very first general council meeting in case party gets majority in LAHDC, Leh elections.
The Territorial Congress president and former Minister, Nawang Rigzin Jora who released the party manifesto for the LAHDC, Leh at Leh city today said his party will work to ensure that the functioning of the UT administration and the LAHDC are harmonized and integrated to smoothen all rough edges in all spheres of the Government functioning.
The party also promised to take up inclusion of Bhoti language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, will ensure early completion of recruitment process and service related issues, strive to enhance development of entrepreneurial skills and counseling for generating self employment among the educated youth of Ladakh region, take up the case of procurement of local labour in different defense organizations, strive to raise Ladakh Women Territorial Army besides, opening of Public Service Commission and creation of various examination centers in UT of Ladakh.
The party manifesto also promised that on the extension of the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to UT of Ladakh , Congress will strive for Bodoland type provisions for the autonomous district councils. It said the education sector will also be given top priority to empower the people of Ladakh. The party will strive to develop professionals of excellent technical caliber among the Ladakhi youth.
The Party also promised to give due priority to the land based activities such as Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal and Sheep Husbandry including value addition to produce from land based activities.
The party said that it will give boost to power sector and non conventional energy production, work towards early completion of Zojila tunnel, separate Parliamentary seats for Leh and Kargil and work towards promotion and conservation of monastic institutions of learning as well as such institutions of other religious traditions.
Meanwhile after the withdrawal of nomination papers today 94 candidates have remained in the fray for LAHDC, Leh elections out of 162 candidates. While BJP and Congress have 26 candidates each in the fray, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is contesting for 19 seats. Besides, there are 23 Independents in the race.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
