A one-day awareness camp on “Cooperative movement in Ladakh” was convened by Chering Dorjey, Minister for Cooperative & Ladakh Affairs on April 28 in Khaltse.

 

Chering Dorjey said that the purpose of the awareness camp is to aware farmers, cooperative societies and unemployed youths about the concept and new policies of the Cooperative sector. Also making the stakeholders of this highly agro potential area witness revolutionary improvement with maximum benefits out of the cooperative schemes in coming days.

Talking about an upcoming mega project under National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) in Leh district, he said that a DPR worth ₹ 500 crore targeting potential areas of Leh district like agriculture and horticulture in Shaam region, vegetable, seabuckthorn and milk in Leh and surrounding areas, Pashmina in Changthang region and horticulture and seabuckthorn in Nubra region is being formulated.

He urged upon all the interested groups and individuals to be well aware of the scheme and get prepare for taking capital money with 25% subsidy component for establishing income generating units under this upcoming projects. 

Drawing the attention of the farmers towards new farming technologies, he said that the farmers should come forward to replicate the newly innovated Green Houses of DIHAR, Leh. This helps in yielding various kind of vegetables like cauliflower, tomato etc. throughout the year and enhance their income generation. 

 

He also urged the need and importance of milk packaging in Leh itself which can extend the life of milk up to six months assuring good price. 

 

He informed that the Cold Storage both at large and small scale under NCDC has been proposed in the DPR.

“The success of NCDS projects in Leh will highly depend upon the participation, response and performance of farmers”, he said.

Highlighting some major achievements of BJP and PDP coalition Govt. for Ladakh, he said due to the introduction of one Ladakhi member in the State Public Service Commission, youths of Ladakh are getting their due job share. 

He also talked about the sanctioning of IRP Battalion for Ladakh, sanctioning of one Woman Police Station for Leh, Tourism Development Authority in Nubra, granting financial power for Hill Council from ₹5 to ₹20 crore, the release of 50% district plan budget in advance considering the short working season. 

Regarding 10% SDA in favour of State Govt. employees working in Ladakh which has been a long pending demand, the minister said that Govt has already agreed to give this allowance and adding that notification in his regard will be issued soon. 

Chering Dorjay also talked about the ₹80,000 crore PM package for J&K State out of which ₹ 20,000 crores is stand sanctioned for Ladakh region under which tunnel of Zojila, Rothang la and Kargil –Zanskar road will be executed. Under the same package, some solar power projects,  200 KV power transmission line from Srinagar to Leh, two numbers of 25 MW hydropower projects in Nubra, one each in Igoo and Chiling will be coming up. 

Tsering Wangdus, EC Agriculture urged the farmers to switch over from traditional farming to cash crops like Dals and buckwheats. He highlighted the initiatives of Hill Council in propagating organic farming with composed manure and stresses to involve in the Cooperative system to ensure secure market with best prices for their products. 

Mumtaz Hussain, EC Cooperative said that the project NCDC would prove boon for the whole region if the people understand its features and come forward to avail the benefits. 

Lobzang Sherap, Councillor Khaltsi said stressed on the need of formulating a concrete strategy for further promotion in agriculture and horticulture sectors. 

 

Motup, President, Shaam Vegetable and Fruit Grower Society and Skarma Tokdan, Secretary also spoke on the occasion and highlighted various important measures for streamlining the cooperative movement for overall benefits of the people of this region. 

Sachin Kumar, SDM Khaltse underlined the importance and relevance of Cooperative concept.