Development of Ladakh top priority for Centre: PM

Leh, Oct 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday virtually inaugurated and dedicated to the nation five development projects worth around Rs 3,350 crore in Ladakh. The projects cover airport infrastructure, road connectivity, renewable energy, heritage conservation and water security.
Addressing people through video conferencing, PM Modi, said, “Projects would make travel easier, strengthen electricity infrastructure, improve water availability and give fresh impetus to the conservation of Ladakh’s ancient heritage.”
Congratulating the people of Ladakh, he also highlighted efforts to expand educational opportunities, promote sports, boost tourism, strengthen digital connectivity and create new livelihood opportunities for the region’s youth.
Referring to the enthusiasm of people waving the tricolour amid fresh snowfall in Zanskar, the Prime Minister thanked the engineers, labourers, local workers and Border Roads Organisation personnel involved in executing the projects under challenging conditions.
PM Modi inaugurated the new terminal building of the Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport in Leh, built at a cost of around Rs 650 crore. Recalling that he had earlier laid its foundation stone, he said, the facility would triple the airport’s flight capacity and increase its annual passenger-handling capacity from 10 lakh to 35 lakh.
He said the terminal was India’s first to incorporate geothermal heating alongside solar energy, taking into account the region’s harsh climatic conditions.
The facility would support tourism while ensuring that infrastructure development remained sensitive to the local environment, he said.
The Prime Minister also dedicated the Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road, built at a cost of around Rs 2,500 crore, saying it would reduce travel time on the route from 12 hours to three hours.
Apart from making journeys easier, the road would strengthen connectivity and provide a boost to trade and business in the region, he said.
On power infrastructure, PM Modi dedicated the Hanu hydroelectric project and its associated transmission network. Referring to the earlier inauguration of the Srinagar-Leh transmission line, he said reliable electricity supply was essential for improving people’s lives.
Electricity would benefit households, help children pursue their education, strengthen healthcare services and support small businesses, he said, adding that efforts were also underway to develop modern power generation facilities in Puga Valley.
The Prime Minister dedicated 40 newly constructed reservoirs under Project Amrit Him Sarovar, saying they would help ensure water availability for farmers during crucial agricultural periods.
The reservoirs would support irrigation and strengthen the agricultural economy in the high-altitude region, where water availability is important for cultivation, he said.
Highlighting infrastructure development since Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019, PM Modi said the region’s road network had expanded from 1,800 km to more than 4,000 km.
The number of major bridges had increased from 19 to nearly 75, while the number of helipads had risen from seven to more than 40, he said.
Tap-water coverage had grown from 3.5 per cent of households to nearly 99 per cent, while the number of hospital beds had doubled, the Prime Minister said.
He also referred to the ongoing Zojila Tunnel project, saying it would provide all-weather connectivity and improve access to the region.
The Centre was giving priority to Ladakh’s development, with a focus on improving infrastructure and creating opportunities for people living in remote areas, he said.
PM Modi said the government was promoting winter tourism and adventure tourism to unlock Ladakh’s economic potential and generate employment.
More than 40 border settlements were being developed under the Vibrant Villages Programme to encourage economic activity and create livelihood opportunities in far-flung areas, he said.
The number of homestays in Ladakh had increased from around 150 to 3,000, reflecting the expansion of tourism-related activities, he said.
He also highlighted the promotion of protected cultivation, noting that around 11,000 greenhouses were operational in the region.
These initiatives, he said, were creating new opportunities for farmers to increase their incomes and diversify agricultural production.
The Prime Minister also referred to the potential of Ladakh’s local products, including sea-buckthorn, handicrafts, GI-tagged apricots, high-altitude commercial floriculture and traditional Pashmina wool produced by the Changpa community.
He said he frequently gifted products from Ladakh to foreign dignitaries, including the German chancellor, the Swedish prime minister and the president of Kyrgyzstan.
The government was working to strengthen the global identity of Ladakh’s Pashmina and improve branding and market access for regional products, he said, adding that efforts should ensure producers directly benefit from the growing demand.
Addressing the demand for improved access to justice, PM Modi said the government had approved the establishment of a High Court Bench for Ladakh in August this year.
The move would help bring the justice system closer to people and improve access to legal remedies alongside administrative services, he said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the expansion of BharatNet and high-speed internet connectivity in remote parts of Ladakh.
Improved digital connectivity would facilitate e-governance, online education and access to wider markets for local entrepreneurs, including those running hotels, restaurants and homestays and those engaged in traditional crafts, he said.
PM Modi said the Centre was particularly focused on the younger generation and wanted students in Ladakh to have access to quality education and new technologies without having to move to other cities.
A major Centre of Excellence was being built in Leh, while proposals for satellite campuses of IIT Jammu and IIM Jammu were also being advanced, he said.
These institutions would expand opportunities for higher education, research and skill development within the region, enabling local youth to acquire modern technological knowledge, he said.
PM Modi said the government’s new sports policy for Ladakh was aimed at identifying and nurturing local talent, particularly in ice hockey, winter sports and mountaineering.
He said efforts were underway to provide young athletes with better training and facilities so they could compete at national and international levels.
The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of preserving Ladakh’s cultural and historical heritage, including its ancient monasteries, Buddhist traditions and festivals associated with the legacy of revered Kushok Bakula Rinpoche.
He inaugurated India’s first Petroglyph Conservation Park in Leh, aimed at protecting the region’s ancient rock art.
The initiative would help preserve Ladakh’s historical legacy for future generations while allowing visitors from India and abroad to learn about its rich past, he said.
PM Modi congratulated the people of Ladakh on the projects and expressed confidence that collective efforts would take the region to new heights of development. (KNO)