Ladakh Article 371K framework to cover land, jobs, culture and environment
Ladakh is working on a new constitutional framework under Article 371 aimed at providing safeguards tailored to the Union Territory’s specific needs, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra said on Tuesday.
Kundra said the proposed model is being developed in consultation with Ladakh’s aspirations and would be discussed at the next round of talks between representatives of Ladakh and the Ministry of Home Affairs, expected in the first week of October. The Centre has proposed a new Chapter K under Article 371, also referred to as Article 371K, for the Union Territory.
He said there is broad agreement on the need for constitutional protection covering land, employment, culture, the environment and natural resources. Discussions have also included the possibility of direct elections to a proposed Union Territory-level body.
The proposed framework is intended to create a special governance arrangement for Ladakh, which has remained a Union Territory without a legislature since 2019. The proposal discussed by the Centre and Ladakh representatives envisages a directly elected body with powers over areas including land, culture and language, forests, environment and natural resources. However, several details concerning the body’s powers and institutional structure are still under discussion.
Kundra said further steps, including consideration of a constitutional amendment by Parliament, would be taken after consensus is reached on the framework. Separate legislation would subsequently be required to specify the proposed body’s powers, functions and institutional arrangements.
At the consultative meeting in Leh, Kundra also discussed administrative and developmental initiatives, including strengthening district-level administration, posting officers in districts, upgrading hospitals to district hospitals and preparations for Panchayat elections.
He said Ladakh has recorded more than four lakh tourist arrivals so far this year, compared with around 3.35 lakh during the whole of the previous year.
The meeting also covered employment, education, land, culture, environment and drug abuse. Ladakh DGP Anand Jain made a presentation on drug-related concerns and sought support from civil society groups for awareness campaigns.
with inputs from PTI
