Ladakh MP seeks early release of consensus draft on constitutional safeguards, Ladakh Public Service Commission and separate district status for Sankoo-Suru and Shakar-Chiktan Shargole.
LEH: The long-awaited Draft Proposal on constitutional safeguards and a democratic framework for Ladakh, a Ladakh Public Service Commission and the creation of Sankoo-Suru and Shakar-Chiktan Shargole as separate districts figured prominently as Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa Jan met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday, pressing for movement on demands that have remained pending despite recent rounds of discussions between the Centre and Ladakh representatives.
Duirng the meeting, MP Ladakh told HM Shah that the Draft Proposal emerging from the recent discussions between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ladakh representatives, including the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Leh Apex Body, was still awaited despite the Minutes of Meeting having been finalised and signed by representatives of both sides.
He urged the Home Minister to place the proposal in the public domain at the earliest so that the High-Powered Committee could consider and approve it without further delay.
The MP also reiterated the demand for a Ladakh Public Service Commission, along with expediting pending recruitment processes, amid concerns over delays affecting employment opportunities for the region’s youth.
Administrative reorganisation emerged as another major issue, with Jan seeking the creation of Sankoo-Suru and Shakar-Chiktan Shargole as separate districts. He argued that the two areas had long-standing demands for district status and that their creation would bring administration closer to people and facilitate more balanced development.
Jan particularly highlighted the geographical remoteness and population density of the Sankoo-Suru area while seeking greater administrative access for underserved parts of Ladakh.
He also sought two Parliamentary constituencies for Ladakh, citing the Union Territory’s vast geographical area and distinct administrative circumstances.
The MP raised concerns over the distribution of newly created tehsils across Ladakh. According to the statement, of the 17 new tehsils created across the Union Territory, the erstwhile Kargil district received four, with only two falling within Kargil and Drass district.
Jan demanded Nayabats in all major blocks of Kargil, their subsequent upgradation into tehsils, and additional sub-divisions for remote and densely populated areas of both Kargil and Leh.
The MP also urged the Home Minister to ensure early submission of the Justice B.S. Chauhan Committee report, so that affected families and residents of Ladakh could receive justice.
A range of development and infrastructure demands were also placed before Shah, including regular civil air services from Kargil under the UDAN scheme, feasibility studies for airports at Kargil and Zanskar, major irrigation projects to address drought conditions and a special relief package for flash-flood-affected areas.
Jan further sought strengthening of healthcare facilities in Kargil, early operationalisation of Government Medical College Leh and Engineering College Kargil, establishment of degree colleges at Sankoo and Bogdang-Turtuk, and expediting the Panikhar-Pahalgam Road project.
According to the statement issued by the MP, Shah gave a patient and positive hearing to the demands and assured that the issues raised would be looked into on priority.
The meeting assumes importance against the backdrop of the continuing wait for the Draft Proposal on safeguards for Ladakh. Jan’s renewed demand for its early publication, coupled with his push for a dedicated Public Service Commission and further administrative reorganisation, places the focus on three issues directly linked to governance, representation and institutional arrangements in the Union Territory.
