Several steps are being taken by the UT Government of Ladakh in the process of its making since it was made a Union Territory on October 2019. Ladakh has its own peculiarity in that being the largest Union Territory of the country although second least populated which is scattered across the cold desert demanding resolution of its economic problems suited to its needs. As it is otherwise said that the process of development is a continuous phenomenon and Ladakh struggling to emerge as a fast developing region, the process of which gained momentum for the last over two years, however, more areas sprout which require pointed attention and close monitoring at top levels. Obviously, in that context the assistance , administrative and economic, from the Central Government to the UT of Ladakh for promoting agriculture , the mainstay of the economy of Ladakh, medical facilities and Healthcare accessibility, education, tourism related infrastructure, trainings and research in various fields , promotion of entrepreneurship and setting up of small and cottage industrial units, is quite necessary looking to its own very limited resources but never undermining its strategic importance .
It is likely that various proposals are sent by the UT Government to the central government and those remaining pending for various reasons require a concerted follow up and it is quite in the fitness of things that the Lieutenant Governor takes upon himself by getting most of them cleared by personally visiting the concerned Union Ministries. It is heartening to note that wildlife clearance has been granted for clearance of many critical pending matters. Manpower problem in various departments , even in administrative positions though being steadily attended to in Ladakh, yet much remains to be done for instance in respect of augmenting Indian Forest Services officer strength in the UT for which the Union Forest Ministry has assured about necessary steps being taken in that direction. It is pertinent to note that although forest cover in Ladakh region is limited due to harsh climate, yet there is a vast scope for plantation of important trees like poplar, willow, apple, apricot and walnut etc for which manpower strength and training and research facilities in the Forest Department are required.
There is the need of undertaking more welfare and social security measures for the labourers in respect of providing to them medical facilities for which setting up of a Hospital under The Employees’ State Insurance Scheme is imperative in additional to providing Medical Mobile Units to effectively take care of the impact of incidences of sickness , maternity etc. In this context too, efforts are being made besides exploring the possibilities of providing the facilities of open schooling to ensure an increased levels of literacy and flexible learning covering more segments under the scheme and it is heartening to note that as a result of taking up the matter at Central Government levels, an office of National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) is going to be set up in Ladakh during the current month itself. Otherwise also, to promote education up to Higher Secondary courses levels all Government schools in Ladakh have been accorded recognition by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Allied issues related to education including appointment of Vice Chancellors for the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS) and the like too having been taken with the concerned union ministries will hasten resolution thereof.
Positive sides of the matter are that Ladakh is gaining to occupy its niche in solar power energy and its harnessing in a big way as it is known as the “roof of the world” with abundant sunlight and fresh air and setting up of a renewable energy park with a 10GW capacity planned to be spread 20,000 acres of land was going to change the face of power availability in Ladakh. Tourism related facilities especially air connectivity between different tourist spots within Ladakh etc too are being looked into with encouraging results especially tourist boom creating many employment opportunities in the region. However, efforts like recently made by Lieutenant Governor by taking up certain issues / status of various pending schemes etc personally with the Central Government are really going to yield quite encouraging results. The problem of waste management, however, requires pointed attention as it has become a serious problem with fears looming large of severe side effects on the fragile environment and improper management of disposal of generated garbage and plastic waste too should be taken up by the Ladakh Government with the Central Government on priority basis for helping it out with tackling the problem through scientific disposal.
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