For holistic development, Ladakh frames ‘Vision Document-2050’

Despite the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese armies on its border, Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh has formulated a vision document for the next 30 years to provide good governance and ensure holistic development of the cold desert region.

As per the ‘Vision Document-2050’, the UT of Ladakh lags behind other hilly areas of the country in all vital sectors like social welfare, human resource development, infrastructure, public health, industries, commerce and agriculture.

Ladakh, the sparsely populated region, is less than a two-hour flight from Delhi - but it feels like half a world away. On August 5 last year, it was separated from Jammu and Kashmir and created as a separate UT.

At present 70% of the food demand in the UT is met by imports and the agriculture income is dependent upon merely 0.2% of total land area. Moreover, 54% of settlements in the UT don’t have accessibility options and there is a vast digital divide in telecom and Information Technology sectors with high access to digital services only in Leh and Kargil towns.

According to the document, only 20% of the population in the UT has limited access to specialized healthcare and the average time to reach a district/sub-district Hospital is three hours. Similarly, there is a 36% deficit in power supply with no supply of electricity for 30% of the day.

There is also a 38% deficit in drinking water supply with limited access to piped water supply and 95% solid waste is disposed of untreated. The students of the UT have limited access to higher education.

“The entire UT will get completely transformed with full attention on each and every aspect of Vision Document,” officials said, adding “different timelines will be fixed for action on the strategy chalked out for holistic development of Ladakh.”

Despite its small population of less than three lakh people, the strategic importance of Ladakh is huge for the country. To its east lies territory occupied by China, including the desolate Aksai Chin. Since May this year, Indian army is locked in a standoff with Chinese army along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.

To the west of Ladakh lies land claimed and contested by Pakistan, including Kargil and the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battleground, beyond which lies Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).