Kargil, August 08, 2024: Chairman of Fifth Finance Commission (FC) for Union Territories, Anil Kumar Jha, IAS (Retd.) and Chairman/CEC, LAHDC, Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon on Wednesday co-chaired a meeting at Conference Hall, Kargil with Executive Councillors, Councillors of LAHDC,Kargil to evaluate role of the Hill Council and to make an assessment of its functioning and financial related issues.

The Commission’s Member Amey Sapre and Secretary Binay Bhushan, IAS were also present on the occasion.

The meeting, among others, was attended by Executive Councilor, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, LAHDC, Kargil, Er. Phunchok Tashi, EC I&FC/PHE/Tourism, LAHDC, Kargil, Kacho Mohammad Feroz; EC Social Welfare/Agriculture, LAHDC, Kargil, Aga Syeed Mujtaba Mousavi; Deputy Commissioner/CEO, LAHDC, Kargil, Shrikant Suse; Councilors; Director, Urban Local Bodies, UT Ladakh, Tahir Hussain Zubdavi; Director, RD&PRD, Ladakh, Syed Sajjad Qadri; Administrator, Municipal Committee, Kargil/Joint Director, Information, Ladakh, Imteeaz Kacho; CPO Kargil Abdul Hadi; Chief Controller of Finance Kargil, Iftikhar Hussain; Project Officer (Wages) Kargil, Padma Angmo; District Panchayat Officer, Kargil, Rehmatullah Bhat; BDOs and other concerned officers and officials.

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During the meeting various issues of District Kargil for deliberation and discussion were raised by the CEC, Executive Councillors and Councillors including the need to make LAHDC Fund (Head 8448) non-lapsable. The chair was informed that Kargil has a limited working season, this change would prevent fund lapses and improve project planning and execution by removing financial year-end pressures.

The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil seeks restoration of its re-appropriation and re-validation powers for efficient budget management, essential due to the region’s limited working season and physical achievement-based allocations.

LAHDC proposes monitoring Panchayat funds to ensure better implementation, and timely execution, and avoid work duplication, leveraging its 30 elected and nominated members for comprehensive district coverage and oversight.

Kargil’s LAHDC calls for a budget hike to ₹500 crores, up from the current ₹243-344 crores, to ensure completion of ongoing projects and address funding shortfalls since UT Formation.

The LAHDC urged for the restoration of its power to grant Administrative Approval for civil works, a capability it had before Ladakh became a Union Territory. This decentralization would expedite project initiation and implementation, enhancing decision-making and project efficiency across the district.

The other issues/demands raised by LAHDC Kargil include an advance Drawl Power to LAHDC, the creation of a Revenue Deposit Head for LAHDC, a special package to clear pending liabilities of land, house and trees compensation, Border Area Development Programme, Extension of Kargil Civil Airport, evacuation of Kurbathang Lower Plateau Kargil, enhancement of Grand in Aid, under Urban Development, sanction of sufficient funds for promotion of Tourism in Rural Areas, Construction of tunnel from Dandal Drass to Saliskote, special package for completion of various construction projects.

During the meeting, DC Kargil Shrikant Suse; Director, Urban Local Bodies, UT Ladakh, Tahir Hussain Zubdavi; Director RD&PRD, Ladakh, Syed Sajjad Qadri shared their experiences and recommendations.

During the meeting, the Chairman of the Fifth Finance Commission (FC) for Union Territories, Anil Kumar Jha, IAS (Retd.) assured that all the demands and issues raised by the LAHDC Kargil will be considered and will be taken up with higher authorities. Meanwhile, Hill Council Kargil and District Administration Kargil hosted a dinner for the Commission.