Minister of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) and Communications and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) at both Leh and Kargil and an IT-Enabled Incubation Center for Handicraft and Handloom Sector at Leh on May 17.

Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the Prime Minister’s vision for the development of Ladakh after the formation of the region as a Union Territory. He informed that all the small hamlets/remote villages in Ladakh would be provided with telecommunication towers for saturation coverage.

He stated that the up-gradation of BSNL connectivity to 4G would start in 2023. Terming railways as important for the long-term sustainable development of Ladakh, he informed that preparatory works for connecting Ladakh with railways are at the stage of completion.

LG Mathur thanked Minister for his support for the development of Ladakh. He stated that the IT-enabled incubation centre would prove beneficial for young entrepreneurs and start-ups from Ladakh. He stressed the need for providing digital literacy to the young entrepreneurs and women self-help groups (SHGs) engaged in handicraft and handloom sectors. He shared the plans to start an Incubation Center in Kargil soon.

LG Mathur stated that the handicraft and handloom sectors in Ladakh may be centred around two products- wool and wood. He emphasised the need for high-level skills and digital literacy of the artisans to overcome the challenge of small production and connectivity with the rest of the country. He stated that NIELIT would play a pivotal role in providing digital literacy to the artisans from Ladakh through its various training programmes. He shared that NIELIT would train 2100 artisans from Leh and Kargil. 

He stated that incubation centres should not be confined to providing training in digital literacy but should also involve literacy in marketing, packaging, entrepreneurship, etc. 

LAHDC Kargil Feroz Ahmad Khan thanked Minister and LG Mathur for improving telecom infrastructure and digital connectivity in Kargil and setting up the NIELIT Centre in Kargil. MP Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal thanked Minister for sanctioning 73 mobile towers for Ladakh under Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).

Later, LG Mathur also visited the Incubation Center at Old Bus Stand and inquired about the equipment and labs.