I began as a Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Public Work Department under which I got projects sanctioned under National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for roads and irrigation system worth about Rs 25 crore each for Leh and Kargil. That was the first time ever that NABARD project was sanctioned to Ladakh. I empowered Hill Council Leh by getting the financial power increased from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 10 crore. Executive Councillors have been given Deputy Minister Status and Chief Executive Councillor’s status as Cabinet Minister. Power to allot land as per the Council Provision Act needed to be formalized and I got it done. 

 

Later I was upgraded as Minister for Science and Information Technology under which I got Community Information Centre (CIC) sanctioned for all 135 blocks in the state. Jammu and Kashmir was the only state to have got CIC and I really feel proud to have done that. 

 

Then I got chance to serve as Power Minister and I got Alchi Project for Leh, Chutuk project for Kargil and got Diesel Generator sets installed at many places. I got many projects sanctioned for Leh and Kargil under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY). For the entire state, it was Rs 600 crore and I got Rs 400 crores for Ladakh region because my first duty and priority is for my region. I can proudly say that the contribution I have made during my tenure as Power Minister is historical. We are the best place in the whole state in terms of power supply. We have 24 hours electricity. A project under the Ministry of New and Renewable energy sources worth Rs 475 crore is going on in many far-flung areas of Ladakh.

 

In Tourism and Culture, I can take credit to a certain extent for increasing the inflow of Tourist in Leh. I managed to get lots of funding from the government of India for Monasteries, Mosques Imam Bargahs, Trans-Himalayan cultural center, Golf Course, convention center and for many other projects not only for Leh but for the entire state. I revised the list of the areas which are eligible for a subsidy. Now in the entire district, whoever wants to start a guest house and hotels gets the subsidy of Rs 30 Lakh. I have got funds sanctioned for Food Craft Institute in Leh and Jammu worth Rs 10 crore each.

 

As a Minister for Urban Development and Local Bodies, I take pride in saying that Leh has seen a huge flow of funds after Srinagar and Jammu. Rs. 217 crore project for Drinking water, sewerage Treatment plant, augmentation of roads and Solid waste management. I helped out Leh with around Rs 10 Crore project under Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) and Rs 18 Crore under Rajiv Awaz Yojana.

 

 

There are two-three priorities that I want to accomplish on a priority basis. Most important is to connect all the left out villages of Leh. Other is imparting skills to young educated unemployed people. They need to get in entrepreneurship. Not everybody can get government jobs. Although we have created jobs in a huge number still there is always a shortage of jobs and number of candidates. There is tremendous scope in Ladakh for entrepreneurship wherein the youth can utilize and flourish.

 

 

MP election won by BJP was an accidental victory. Winning by 36 votes is nothing and is not a true mandate. Yes, I was worried as we lost ground because of conflict within our own party. I was more worried about that conflict rather than the accidental victory of Thupstan Chhewang by 36 votes. Luckily everything has been resolved now and we are united and my party has been rallied and campaigned for me during the elections. I really appreciate the people of Nubra for choosing the young dynamic leader and new face Deldan Namgyal. This was the first time that Nubra people have recognised the contribution made by the Congress party and voted for our candidate.

 

 

 It is both. Politics in Leh is very different from politics elsewhere. We are a close-knit society with such a low population that everybody knows everybody else. In a small region like ours, we can’t do hanky-panky and get away with it. Even if the person is very smart and clever he can hide his deeds for a year but not more than that. Those in public life are under scrutiny all the time. The fact that I have won the mandate for three consecutive terms clearly reflects that I have done good work for the region. It was my party who gave me that opportunity to work for the region. So, I believe it is both.

 

 

There will be no government formation in J&K without Congress party. The fact that people in the valley voted in huge numbers was to keep BJP out. Now if Mufti Sayeed will ally with BJP means that he is playing dirty with the people of Kashmir. We are the collateral beneficiaries of PDP and NC’s tough war and PDP and BJP’s ideological war. Mufti Sayeed has spent half of his life in Congress and his ideology is same as ours. It is natural that there will be PDP-Congress coalition government.

 

 

UT has been an issue with BJP. They were talking and promising UT for Ladakh in all the elections. UT has been used by BJP so much that now people refuse to believe in their fake promises. Not that I do not want to see Ladakh as a UT, but is it achievable? UT can be granted to Ladakh only if the Kashmir issue is resolved. When there is a permanent solution to Kashmir issue, there are chances that Ladakh will get Union Territory status.

 

 

Article 370, Uniform Civil Code and Ram Mandir issue used to be an Article of faith for BJP and Jan Sangh for the last 60 years. Now because of politics, they are giving up on each of these issues. Now they are saying that we will discuss it. From the very resistant abrogation of Article 370, they are now saying to debate it and maybe they will eventually give it up. The compulsion of politics will compel BJP to re-orient their ideology. 

 

 

Look at what is happening in the whole country now. Everyone is talking nonsense about making India a Hindu nation. All the communal elements are raising their heads in the country. BJP’s presence is a nuisance not only for Ladakh but for the whole country.

 

 

Definitely not. We are going to be part of the coalition government. Wait for some time and see if we are part of the government or not. At the national level, the government cannot refuse our share of the fund. This cannot happen.