LEH: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retired) held a meeting with the Departmental Secretaries and Head of Departments (HoDs) at Raj Niwas to review the progress of works along with pending works and faced issued by their respective departments.

The LG discussed several issues with the Departmental Secretaries and HODs, viz. the issues faced by Ladakhi students in availing Prime Minister's Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS), extension of Rewa: Lt Governor's Student Support Initiative (Financial Assistance to meritorious students of UT of Ladakh) to meritorious students of Ladakh to avail coaching facilities for various competitive examinations, feasibility of engagement of teachers for specially-abled students for their academic benefit and rationalization of teachers/closure of Government schools with zero enrolments of students.

Mishra instructed the Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education, to provide scholarships to deserving students from Ladakh and provide all possible assistance to them in availing of their scholarships. He also instructed that malpractices should be curbed and necessary action must be taken against defaulters to conduct the LAHDC Kargil elections fairly, freely and transparently.

He further instructed the concerned officials to sensitize the public about the specifications of the thickness adopted in the construction of national highways and internal roads.

The LG spoke to the Director of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and asked him to expedite the process of rationalization of boundaries of wildlife sanctuaries of Ladakh while keeping the individual welfare of the public as the focal point. He highlighted the need to encourage local youth to become entrepreneurs/goat herders by making this area lucrative for them.

He suggested that dogs of the same gender should be neutered to control the population of stray dogs along with exploring the possibility of putting collars across the necks of the sterilized dogs.

The LG instructed the BSNL officials to take concrete steps to ensure the saturation of 4G connectivity in uncovered areas of Ladakh.