Ladakh L-G pushes for key development projects during meeting with Khattar

Ladakh Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta on Tuesday informed the Union Minister of Power, and Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, that the UT was witnessing drastic ground water depletion, which was a cause of concern.

The L-G underlined that Ladakh is witnessing a drastic depletion of groundwater, leading to panic among the locals and leaving the future generations vulnerable to a water crisis. He stressed that this grave issue needs to be addressed as a priority, and the sanctioned water supply projects are a decisive step towards tackling water security in the region.

The L-G met Khattar in New Delhi and held a detailed discussion on major developmental projects of Ladakh.

Gupta apprised the Union Minister about two landmark 24x7 water supply projects for Leh and Kargil towns, costing Rs 334.72 crore and Rs 373.17 crore, respectively, which have been approved by the State High Powered Steering Committee (SHPSC) of UT and subsequently cleared by the 12th Apex Committee under AMRUT 2.0 held on April 17, 2025. He highlighted that the projects have been included in the State Water Action Plan (SWAP) with a committed Central Assistance of Rs 62 crore (Rs 31 crore per project), while the UT administration will manage the balance funding.

The Lt Governor further briefed that as per the Apex Committee’s decisions, the total allocation of Central Assistance for Ladakh under AMRUT 2.0 stands at Rs 128 crore, in a 90:10 funding ratio. Of this, Rs 58.5 crore has already been released as the first tranche and Rs 69.5 crore as the second tranche to support these projects.

The L-G also briefed the Union Minister about the demand for an urban housing project under PMAY-U 2.0 in Ladakh, emphasising the need to strengthen housing infrastructure to meet the growing requirements of Leh and Kargil towns.

In addition, Gupta also raised issues pertaining to the MNRE Project at Pang-Kharnak and other ongoing initiatives under the Ministry of Power in Ladakh, seeking continued assistance and intervention to expedite their completion. He stressed that these projects are closely aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of making Ladakh a carbon-neutral region and sustainable energy producer, thereby supporting the ecologically fragile region while meeting its developmental aspirations.

The Union Minister appreciated the efforts of the UT administration in prioritising critical urban and power sector projects and assured the full support of the Government of India in addressing Ladakh’s unique developmental challenges.