LEH: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan has reviewed the overall development of Ladakh and underscored the need to promote tourism, particularly winter tourism, to boost the local economy and generate employment, an official said on Tuesday.

Mohan, who is on a two-day visit to the Union Territory of Ladakh, chaired a high-level review meeting with the Ladakh administration on Monday.

During the meeting, he impressed upon officials to fast-track the implementation of the 4G saturation project, which aims to ensure mobile connectivity across all villages and remote areas of Ladakh.

The Union home secretary said there was a need to expedite recruitment for gazetted posts to strengthen the administrative framework and enhance service delivery across the UT.

He also directed the chief secretary to formally engage with the secretary of telecommunications to fast-track the implementation of the 4G saturation project.

While briefing the Union Home Secretary, Ladakh Chief Secretary Dr. Pawan Kotwal highlighted key developments, including recruitment drives undertaken under the new legal and administrative frameworks, the finalisation of requisitions for critical gazetted posts ready for submission to the UPSC, issuance of age relaxation orders, and matters concerning the creation of new districts.

He also shared updates on the Digital India Land Records Modernisation programme and the Ladakh land records portal, both aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in land governance.

The chief secretary further briefed the home secretary on proposed amendments to revenue laws under review, including the extension of the J&K Land Grant Act to the entire Ladakh region.

The meeting also covered updates on several major infrastructure projects such as tunnel construction, road development, rationalisation of wildlife sanctuary boundaries, and tourism promotion, the spokesperson said.

The chief secretary also made special mention of Ladakh's homestay policy, which has become a model for community-based tourism.