Tasaduq Hussain
Leh, Aug 27: The Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla Friday said that the newly created union territory of Ladakh will soon grow as “self-reliant” as the overall law and order situation has shown a significant improvement there.
A Lok Sabha team is on a tour to twin Union Territories including Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh aimed at a parliamentary outreach program for the empowerment of Panchayati raj institutions.
The team reached Leh on Thursday and were welcomed by the Lieutenant governor of and Member Parliament Ladakh and other officials.
Addressing a news conference on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony, the LS speaker said that everything has been very peaceful and the people of this Ladakh region are engaged in the progress of the nation. “The high passes of Leh and Kargil are guarded by the security forces and people of this region despite challenges are worth praise”, he said while praising them.
He said that for people, it’s important to have strong democratic institutions and work accordingly so that it grows and builds a nation together more powerful adding that Mahatma Gandhi has said that when the grass root level democracy is strengthened only then it can be of more power together with the ruling government.
“I have talked to different representatives including the Hill Council members and held deliberations to ensure that there is maximum people involved for their benefit and grows as progressive with the result native issues are eliminated with time”, he said.
The speaker said that Gram Panchayat is very crucial since it directly remains connected with the people and is well aware of their demands and aspirations so that on the same parameters the required work is done in times to come.
The LS speaker said that after the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the union territory of Ladakh adopted the panchayat Raj Act which includes the Gram Panchayat, BDC’s, and Hill Council. “All the institutions must work together for benefit of people so that more progress is done”, he said. “After becoming a separate union territory this region has witnessed progress and more schemes and proposals were made including the work on infrastructure is going on.”
He stated that tourism will get more boost since people from across the globe visit here besides people come to this place to witness/enjoy the cold desert and the government is working in it to increase the tourism sector here. “Cold sports will be promoted and in times to come there will be major change and progress.” the speaker said.
The speaker informed that more than 13 parliamentary standing committees of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have visited Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir comprising of more than 200 members and they have held deliberations with all the stakeholders in Jammu, Srinagar, and Ladakh. “The committees will also submit their report on basis of which more progressive opportunities will open up”, he said.
The speaker said that the reports will help us to safeguard both the regions and develop the industrial sector in which panchayats will play their role and become Atmanirbhar.
“Panchayat Raj rules are made based on the information fed to the parliamentary standing committees by the native representatives and the government is working on it besides there was a need to revive the political process after the region was carved as septate UT”, LS speaker said.
Regarding the increase in fund lapses of Hill Council, the speaker said that the central government has held deliberations with the stakeholders, and on that basis, the efforts are underway
About the demands raised by the population and representatives of Kargil, the speaker said that all the parliamentary committees visiting the Ladakh UT do listen to them and submit the report, and accordingly, the government acts on the same and this outreach program is aimed to reach out to the farthest places.
“People of Ladakh are very progressive and protective towards the nation and the region has witnessed significant improvement in the law and order situation with which more tourists will prefer to visit this place”, he maintained.
“With the development and more infrastructure employment opportunities also open up”, he said. “In times to come Ladakh region will give a clear message of self-reliant (Atmanirbhar) to the entire nation.”
