Welfare schemes for STs in Ladakh reviewed

Member of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), Asha Lakra, chaired a meeting in Leh with an aim to thoroughly review the implementation of various welfare programmes and Centrally-sponsored schemes benefiting Scheduled Tribes in the district. This visit followed a similar review conducted by Lakra in Kargil.

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Key officials in the meeting included Leh Deputy Commissioner Romil Singh Donk, Senior Superintendent of Police Shruti Arora, Additional Deputy Commissioner Ghulam Mohd, Chief Planning Officer Tsewang Gyalson, Assistant Commissioner Development AG Zargar and others.

Sectoral heads delivered detailed presentations on the status and progress of numerous welfare initiatives. These included the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Mission Shakti, Jal Jevan Mission, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Swachh Bharat Mission, MGNREGA, and the functioning of Self Help Groups (SHGs). Updates were also provided by departments such as agriculture, horticulture, and cooperatives.

Lakra commended the efforts in implementing these vital schemes and urged all departments to foster stronger interdepartmental coordination to enhance their delivery and impact on the ground. She particularly emphasised the critical importance of active women's participation across institutions such as the Police Women’s Cell, Self Help Groups, ICDS, etc.

Highlighting the pivotal role of SHGs in women's empowerment and improving household economic stability, Dr Lakra advised the development of an NSP portal for scholarship schemes to benefit students pursuing higher education outside the Union Territory. She also strongly suggested providing robust market linkages for SHG products and recommended establishing a food processing unit to enable SHGs to add value to their goods and significantly increase their income generation. She also put importance in the nunneries of Leh district, urging the district administration to overlook their funding concerns.

Furthermore, Lakra urged the district administration to ensure timely and adequate funding for ICDS and Mid-Day Meal schemes. She instructed all departments to submit their concerns and any outstanding issues in writing, assuring them that her office would escalate these matters to the relevant Union Government Ministries for appropriate action.