Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) met and interacted with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) representatives at Raj Niwas on March 23.

LG informed that he wanted to meet the representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions and learn about the functioning of the governance and benefits being provided to the people of Ladakh at the grassroots level. He also informed that his main aims are working for the benefit and overall development of the people of Ladakh. He requested the PRIs representatives for their cooperation to help him in the overall development of the people of Ladakh.

He informed the PRIs representatives that grassroots democracy would be strengthened by utilizing funds from the Centre for all three tiers of Panchayati Raj. He highlighted the need for PRIs representatives to spend the funds allocated to them with honesty in a transparent manner to ensure quality work in a time-bound manner so that all the people of Ladakh in the remotest corners of the region avail of its benefits. 

The PRIs representatives were requested to maintain and follow transparency, accountability, probity, equal dispensation, self-audit, and mid-course correction while carrying out their duties for the welfare and development of the people of Ladakh.

L G informed about the efforts being made by the Administration to conduct surveys for the establishment and upgradation of schools, police stations, health centres, and administrative centres in consultation with the concerned stakeholders.

Chairpersons of BDCs and sarpanches raised their queries regarding streamlining of functioning of PRIs, early sanctioning of funds, increasing the budget for PRIs for development activities, the need to increase their honorarium, the revival of the Back to Village programme and the delimitation of panchayat halqas, etc.