By Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Dec 15: Today, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd), hosted multiple delegations at the LG Secretariat in Leh. Among those present were elected representatives from Khaltse and Sumoor, officials from the Rural Development Department, Class IV employees from Leh and Kargil districts, and a person with disabilities.
The delegation from Khaltse was led by Councillor Lobzang Sherap while Councillor Rigzin Lundup represented Sumoor. They were accompanied by District Panchayat Officer Leh, Junaid Amin, and Deputy Commissioner Leh, Santosh Sukhadeve.
Recently, both Khaltse and Sumoor received recognition at the National Panchayat Awards ceremony held in New Delhi on December 11, 2023, presided over by President Droupadi Murmu. Sumoor Gram Panchayat earned the second place in the Clean and Green Panchayat category, while Khaltsi Panchayat was awarded second place in the Good Governance category.
The Deputy Commissioner noted that the community of Sumoor, including women’s self-help groups, played a vital role in waste collection and segregation efforts. Both villages were awarded a cash prize of ₹75 lakhs each for their achievements.
Congratulating the communities, the LG urged the elected representatives to work closely with their constituents to enhance cleanliness in schools and hospitals, and to focus on the utilization of solar energy.
Additionally, a delegation representing Class IV employees from Leh and Kargil met with the LG to request a revision in the grade pay for SL-1 employees from 1300 to 1800 as per the 7th Pay Commission’s Pay Matrix. The meeting included Director Finance Dr. Safdar Ali, Under Secretary GAD Mohd Taqi, and representatives of the Class IV employees.
The delegation expressed concerns regarding their salaries, which align with standards from the former Jammu and Kashmir state, and not with the current Pay Matrix. They also discussed issues related to increments and seniority for Class IV employees appointed under SRO-202 from J&K State.
In another interaction, Lobzang Toldan, who has a disability, requested financial assistance to start a business or secure a job to support his family and his daughter’s education. The LG directed DC Leh to explore options for providing financial aid for Lobzang’s daughter’s studies and to consider temporary employment opportunities for him.
