Lieutenant Governor, R K Mathur reviewed various administrative departments on August 26 at Raj Niwas.

Advisor to LG, Umang Narula; Commissioner Secretary, GAD, A K Sahu; Commissioner Secretary, Rigzin Samphel; Divisional Commissioner Ladakh Saugat Biswas and concerned Head of the Departments attended the meetings.

Regarding School education, R K Mathur stressed strengthening the government schools and ensuring complete coverage of students especially at the border and remote villages in imparting classes on a daily basis by use of technology. He desired to focus on giving maximum benefit to the students by providing required materials, syllabus content, and taking feedbacks. 

Civil work plans and conduct of final exams were also discussed during the meeting. 

L-G instructed Social Welfare Department to strengthen Anganwadi centres and provide direct benefit transfer to the maximum beneficiaries.

Pertaining to Hospitality and Protocol, he directed the concerned officers to ensure setting up of an office of UT Ladakh in Chandigarh before the onset of the winters. He also asked to consult the two Councils on the early establishment of two Council Bhavans in Delhi. 

SE, Mechanical was asked to ensure procurement of snow clearance machinery before winter this year and to provide adequate central heating system during winters and stand by oxygen plants in the districts of Leh and Kargil.

Discussing PHE Department, he directed prompt due payments to the contractors, clearing off existing liabilities in any head, avoid creating liabilities in the future, and expediting allotment of contracts. The department was directed to work out plans to ensure drinking water through tanker supply (where required) in winters. Also, to address the issues related to the Igoo-Phey canal to increase its utility and also to develop innovative multiple technology-based irrigation systems in tandem with the existing local practices. 

Rural Development Department was asked to strengthen the elected representative bodies through capacity building and other training. He directed the Department for immediate fulfillment of the requirements of BDCs and Panchayats, execute works under MGNREGA through convergence and to promote rural areas livelihood schemes focusing the lean winter period. 

Agriculture Department was directed to achieve the set annual targets under MODI and greenhouse projects by March 2021 and to start mapping a new pilot project for the next season targeting high return and value addition aspects.

Transport Department was directed to constitute a Road Safety Council, fix high-security number plates, plan proposal to introduce e-buses, e-rickshaw, e-cycles in the main town of Leh and Kargil to decongest traffic, improve public transport system and to address the issues on the introduction of the new vehicle models in Ladakh.