To finalize the nine proposed projects under NABARD and on the visit of CGM NABARD to Leh on August 18 a preliminary stakeholders meeting with all line departments including major banks was held on August 10 at Council Secretariat, Leh.

The meeting was chaired by CEC Dr. Sonam Dawa in presence of Pushphas Pandey, Dy. General Manager, NABARD.  

The nine action plan was emanated during the discussion of Chering Dorjey, Minister for Ladakh Affairs and Cooperative J&K Government with Chief General Manager, National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) in Srinagar.

Under NABARD, Minister Chering Dorje proposed various projects which include packaging facilities for Sea Buckthorn pulp, value addition of Pashmina, packaging of Apricot Juice, cold storage facilities for vegetables, promotion of Alfa-Alfa grass and irrigation projects. He also included skill development of Pashmina artisans, two villages to be adopted for Apricot and Pashmina development and construction of the road along the Pangong Lake from Lukung to Khaktet to connect villages on the border.

For the overall development of the region, Dr. Dawa, CEC   said that upcoming projects of NABARD are very important to meet number of major infrastructure facility, machinery equipment and skill development programmes.

Dr Sonam Dawa invited feedbacks on all the nine proposed projects from concerned departments and directed them to submit a detail project report with all the relevant data and information within two days.

He also stressed upon the importance of international value products like Pashmina and Sea Buckthorn which has immense potential to turn the economy of Ladakh.

The meeting decided to propose Tetra Pak packaging machine worth ₹ 5 crores for Sea Buckthorn, Apple and Apricot juice which will be run by Bami Duniya Cooperative Society. 

Dr Sonam Dawa directed Handloom department to prepare DPR for procurement of Spinning and Weaving Machine and instructed Executive Councillors to explore all the GoI’s scheme in skill development of artisans.  

Since the 10,000 metric ton Cold Storage facility at Agling Leh will be completed by Sept. 2017, the meeting decided to project other required facility for the store including racks under NABARD.

Regarding development of Alfa-Alfa grass in view of growing dairy related business in the district, Dr. Dawa directed Agriculture department for production of Alfa-Alfa seed in all the five ongoing command area projects in different blocks of Leh.

 

He further directed EC Mumtaz Hussain to ensure coordination among Animal, Sheep and Agriculture departments in this regard. 

The meeting decided to project incomplete irrigation projects discontinued due to cost overrun and to project two new irrigation project including Kalikukta-Stakna irrigation canal and upgradation / improvement of Sasoma (Nubra) irrigation canal.

It was also decided to project some important drinking water projects under NABARD.

The meeting adopted Saspol and Kharnak villages for the development of Apricot and Pashmina respectively.