Two day General council meeting (GCM) of the 6th LAHDC, Leh to discuss the Draft Capex Budget for the year 2022-23 was convened under the chairmanship of CEC/Chairman, LAHDC Leh, Tashi Gyalson on April 4 at the assembly hall, Council Secretariat, Leh.

The house unanimously passed two resolutions, inclusion of the Bhoti language into the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution, the need for introducing Bhoti as one of the official languages of UT Ladakh and the need for having a policy on mental health with the prevention of alcoholism as well as drug abuse in Leh. 
  
The session started with the celebration of the symbolic ‘Bhoti Language Day’. The house also observed two-minute silence mourning the demise of former Executive Councillors and Councillors of LAHDC Leh in the year 2021. 

District officers which include, DC/CEO LAHDC Leh, CPO, Leh, Superintending Engineer, PWD Circle Leh, Assistant Commissioner Development RDD, Leh and District Treasury Officer, Leh were felicitated by the Council for the exemplary efforts in the completion of planned projects and financial expenditures in the District Plan of the financial year 2021-22. Chairman, Hill Council, Leh, Tashi Gyalson congratulated the house for achieving a historic expenditure ever under District Capex Budget with the expenditure of INR 191.709 crore out of INR 210.01 crore which is 91.26 percent.

Addressing the house, CEC Tashi Gyalson informed that the ceiling under District Capex Budget 2022-23 is INR 233.32 crores. He further shared the developmental achievements of the 6th LAHDC Leh to date which include sectors like Power, Renewable energy/Carbon neutrality initiative, Health, Telecommunication, Tourism, Education, Sports, Housing for all, etc.

It was also informed that the outline of the draft CAPEX-Budget 2022-23 focuses mainly on the completion of the ongoing/spillover works. He added that five new schemes have been considered by each Councillor and other emergent public demands. He further added that the Councillor’s Constituency Development Fund (CCDF) has been fixed as ₹85 lakh for major works and ₹15 lakh for Machinery and Equipment. Funds for clearance of previous work done liabilities under various schemes have been also earmarked. 

The Chairman stated that the work on the new scheme “Nyalbachan-la-Rogs” (Housing for Poor) shall start from this year as the required land for the said purpose has been identified. He also stated that the construction of passive-solar Indoor stadiums in all the Sub-Divisions has been proposed this year. It was also informed that INR 2.00 lakhs for each Panchayats of Leh district has been earmarked under District Capex Budget for the restoration/conservation of Old Heritage sites. He added that full funds have been allocated to Community Development (CD) Normal works as per the total estimated cost for the completion of the project during the financial year.
 
The house discussed the department-wise allocated budget, which includes departments like Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, District Motor Garage, School Education, Higher Education, ICDS, Polytechnic, Rural Development Department, Employment and Labour on the first-day session.

All the councillors of LAHDC Leh sought answers to their queries during the question hour to the concerned Executive councillors holding different portfolios.