Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) reviewed the progress of all the departments from the concerned secretaries at Raj Niwas on July 3.

LG inquired about the status of the New India Literacy Programme (NILP) in Ladakh and the efforts being made by the Department of School Education to help Ladakh achieve the status of a literate union territory. He also inquired about the attachment of teachers and stated that it should be ‘an exception and not a norm.’

He further inquired about the inconvenience faced by the tourists due to the advisory issued by the Administration of J&K to restrict the movement of traffic due to the Amarnath Yatra. LG instructed DIG Ladakh Police to liaise with the Police Department of J&K UT within the given parameters to ensure that the tourists entering or exiting Ladakh do not face any inconvenience.

LG inquired about the progress of the rationalisation of boundaries of the Wildlife Sanctuaries/National Park in Ladakh and instructed the concerned officials to expedite the process. During the discussion on the airlifting of equipment for the ongoing pilot geothermal project being initiated by ONGC in Ladakh, LG stated that UT Administration must utilise its tonnage quota to airlift the equipment keeping in mind the importance of the project for Ladakh and also for the country.

Expressing his displeasure over the progress of the ongoing Jal Jeevan Mission works in Ladakh, LG highlighted the need for possible interventions of the Administration, Hill Council, PRIs and other concerned stakeholders as water will be a major issue for posterity.

Speaking on the issue of providing jobs on compassionate grounds in SRO 43 cases, he instructed the concerned officials to study all the cases and ensure that justice is served to all the dependent family members of the government employees who have died while on active duty.

LG discussed issues related to pending salaries, the expansion of the Indian Air Force’s area along with parking space at Kargil, the problem faced by Associate National Cadet Corps Officers (ANOs) who are posted at schools without NCC units, the need to prepare a competitive Schedule of Rate, the need to initiate work on the establishment of Sainik School in Ladakh at the earliest, take necessary steps to make Delhi Public School at Leh students and parents-friendly, etc. He also inquired about the production of millets in Ladakh.

Advisor Dr Pawan Kotwal informed LG about the steps being taken by the Administration to distribute fortified wheat along with fortified rice under the public distribution system (PDS). He highlighted the need to publicise the initiative on various platforms.

Advisor, Dr Pawan Kotwal, IAS; Principal Secretary, Shri Sanjeev Khirwar, IAS; Commissioner Secretary, Shri Saugat Biswas, IAS; Commissioner Secretary, Smt Padma Angmo, IIS; Secretary, Shri Ravinder Kumar, IAS; Secretary, Shri Mehboob Ali Khan, IRS; DIG Ladakh Police, Shri Shaikh Junaid, IPS; Secretary, Yetindra Maralkar, IAS; Secretary, Amit Sharma and other officials/HODs were present in the meeting.