Leh, May 01: All the 31 blocks of Ladakh will have a Block Development Fund in which 1 crore to each block has been provisioned for the FY 2021-22, announced Radha Krishna Mathur, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. The Block Development Fund which has been released for the first time will be a step forward in empowering the Panchayati Raj Institutions of Ladakh.

According to the order issued by the Rural Development Department the plans to be undertaken under this fund will be approved by the BDC Chairpersons in plan formulations meeting of the Block Development Councils.

Such plans will be sourced from every panchayat of the block. It has also been mentioned in the order that only new works of public importance will be taken up and such works which can be completed in one year and will have tangible benefits to the residents will be executed.

* Click to Follow Voice of Ladakh on WhatsApp *

“The UT administration has been undertaking various steps for the empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions. The Sarpanches and the BDC Chairpersons have consistently been sent for capacity building programmes to apex Institutions of the country such as NIRD Hyderabad, State Training Academy Uttarakhand etc. The provisioning of the Block Development Fund by the administration will enable the grassroot democracy to fulfil their ground level requirements,” said Saugat Biswas, Secretary Rural Development, Ladakh.  

Skalzang Dorjey, BDC, Chairman Leh while expressing his gratitude to UT administration said, “After the BDC election all the Chairman and Chairperson have been requesting Hon’ble LG, RK Mathur to release the Block Development Fund soon. Now, this fund would be used for local development works. Earlier, there used to be a lack of funds but now we can use this fund to bring development in these 31 blocks of Ladakh.”

Similarly, Zakir Hussain, BDC Chairman, Sodh Block Kargil said, “The Block Development Fund will help us in bringing grassroots development in the rural areas.”