Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 8: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened a significant meeting today with representatives from the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil and high-ranking officials from Jammu and Kashmir to address various issues affecting students, patients, and residents in Ladakh.
The meeting included Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Ahmed Rana, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary for Education Shatmanu, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, and Administrative Secretaries from the Social Welfare, Health & Medical Education, and ARI & Trainings departments.
The delegation from LAHDC Kargil was headed by Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, alongside Feroz Ahmad Khan and other councillors.
Also present were Member of Parliament Ladakh Haji Mohd Haneefa Jan and prominent National Conference leader and former Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon.
In his address to the delegation, the Chief Minister encouraged them to engage with the Ladakh administration for the timely posting of senior officers in Jammu and Srinagar, facilitating better responses to the challenges faced by residents of Ladakh UT in J&K.
He committed to arranging space at SKIMS and other super-specialty hospitals in Kashmir for a help desk to be operated by Ladakh administration staff, providing immediate aid for patients from Kargil and Leh.
Additionally, he urged the delegation to inform Ladakh students about the available quotas in J&K, highlighting that many seats are left unfilled.
Emphasizing the historical connection between Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir, he reiterated that administrative changes would not disrupt the longstanding relationship between the two areas.
“Changes on maps won’t alter our connection with you. Our historical bond with Ladakh is enduring and will continue to thrive,” the Chief Minister stated.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Ahmed Rana reassured the delegation that their concerns regarding roads, drinking water, and other vital services would be given urgent attention.
Earlier, the Kargil delegation presented several urgent matters, including the need for nodal officers for patients being referred to SKIMS Soura and other super-specialty hospitals in Srinagar.
They also expressed concerns about the training and selection of paramedical students in J&K’s training institutes, the necessity for the expansion of existing student hostels in Srinagar and Jammu, and the demand for increased admissions of Ladakh students in various colleges and universities across J&K.
Furthermore, they requested initiatives to boost tourism in Kargil and other regions of Ladakh UT through events held in Srinagar.
