Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, on May 4 met Union Minister for Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil, in New Delhi to discuss ongoing water resource, irrigation, and flood management projects in Ladakh.

During the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor apprised the Minister of Project Him Sarovar, an ambitious initiative of the UT Administration aimed at conserving snow and glacial melt by creating water storage bodies in villages. He informed that, in the first phase, 50 water storage ponds are being constructed to harness and store snowmelt and glacial runoff. The project is designed to address seasonal water shortages, particularly for irrigation during lean periods.

The Union Minister appreciated the initiative and acknowledged its potential in addressing Ladakh’s unique water challenges. He assured that a committee of experts would be constituted to examine the technical aspects of the project and explore ways to strengthen and scale it to enhance water security in the region.

Saxena also extended an invitation to the Union Minister to visit Ladakh and witness the ongoing initiatives and challenges firsthand. Patil accepted the invitation and assured that he would visit the region soon along with a team of experts and officials.

The Lieutenant Governor thanked the Minister for sanctioning central assistance of ₹8.75 crore for various water-related projects in Ladakh, which will help improve irrigation efficiency and optimise water use in command areas.

He further highlighted a comprehensive five-year plan focusing on conservation, rejuvenation, and harvesting of water resources. The plan includes revival of traditional water bodies, upgradation of irrigation canals, creation of percolation tanks, artificial glaciers, automated ice reservoirs, solar lift irrigation systems, and promotion of drip irrigation. The Minister assured full support from the Ministry for these initiatives.

Saxena also briefed the Minister on key schemes being implemented with support from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, including the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) under PMKSY, the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP), and the National River Conservation Programme (NRCP).

During the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor highlighted Ladakh’s unique challenges, including its fragile ecology, extreme climatic conditions, dependence on glaciers, and dispersed population across remote mountainous terrain. He emphasised the need for sustained financial and technical support from the Government of India to ensure water security, agricultural sustainability, and climate resilience in the Union Territory.