Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, RK Mathur visited the Aryan Valley on June 17 along with Chairman, LAHDC Kargil, Feroz Ahmad Khan, and Member of Parliament from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal during his three-day tour to Kargil. 

Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, Santosh Sukhdeve also accompanied during the tour.

MP Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal on behalf of the people of Aryan Valley, raised several issues related to the development of the area. He raised the need for solar-lift irrigation canal systems in Yaldor, Qaasuka Dus and Darchik; diversion of stream water from Yaldor to Phatibar; sanctioning of roads from Garkone to Bararu and from Garkone to Rsuray or connectivity; sanctioning of playground and development of sports infrastructure along with equipment; issuance of Actual Line of Control (ALC) certificate to enable the unemployed youth to avail its benefits; various development initiatives under Border Area Development Programme (BADP), etc.

MP Ladakh requested intervention to declare Aryan Valley as a tangible heritage site under UNESCO. He further requested to include the villages in Aryan Valley into a single district and stressed the need for delimitation of Panchayats. He also requested the promotion of the Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) scheme and the setting up of food processing units to enable the people of Aryan Valley to make various products from the agriculture and horticulture produce to improve their livelihood.

He further requested intervention in giving preference to local youth for porters as well as during the Army recruitment drive. He also requested intervention in addressing the issue of grazing land in the Aryan Valley.

Chairman, LAHDC Kargil, Feroz Ahmad Khan shared various initiatives taken by Hill Council Kargil for the development of Aryan Valley. He raised certain issues related to the people of Aryan Valley, including a separate administrative block for the Silmoo constituency; issuance of an Actual Line of Control (ALC) certificate to enable employed youth to avail of its benefits; construction of a tunnel to expedite the work on the Khaltse-Batalik Road; upgradation of New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) to Community Health Center (CHC); clearance of pending liabilities under BADP; clearance of compensation for land acquired for various development projects; providing telecommunication/mobile facilities to uncovered villages, etc.

Delegations from Garkone and Darchik villages raised several issues, viz. setting up a cultural centre/community hall in the village; upgradation of Govt High School to Higher Secondary School; upgradation of Medical Sub-Centre to Primary Health Centre (PHC); development of Garkone as a tourist destination; development of Lchangra as a cultural identity of people of Aryan Valley; creation of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) office at Darchik; upgradation of Govt Middle School at Darchik to High School; lifting water from Indus River for Jal Jeevan Mission works in Darchik, etc.

LG Mathur shared the plans for the development of Aryan Valley and the efforts being made to establish an existing residential school in Aryan Valley along the lines of Eklavya/ Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose residential schools/hostels and the development of the sports infrastructure in the Valley. He stated that efforts would be made to provide adequate medical and other infrastructure for the development of the Valley.

Highlighting the products from villages in the Aryan Valley that are famous in Ladakh and the country, LG Mathur stated that the area has good economic potential in the commercial agriculture and horticulture sector. He advised the people of Aryan Valley to maintain the quality of their products and the need for new technologies and solar-powered lift irrigation systems along with food processing units for the development of the Agri/horticulture sector in the Valley. He also highlighted the contribution of the people of Aryan Valley in increasing the production of Agri/horticulture products.

LG Mathur later visited the Himalayan Aryan Labdak Museum.