Hon’ble Lt Governor Brig (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) & First Lady Neelam Mishra inaugurate District Panchayat Resource Centre at Agling

Hon’ble Lt Governor Brig (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) & First Lady Neelam Mishra inaugurate District Panchayat Resource Centre at Agling
HLG also flags off SRMC vehicles and inspects SARAS exhibition stalls of SHGs.
Leh, April 19, 2025: The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, along with First Lady Smt Neelam Mishra, inaugurated the District Panchayat Resource Centre, constructed by Rural Development Department, UT Ladakh, at Agling. The HLG also flagged off SRMC Vehicles and inspected the SARAS exhibition stalls set up by Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
Speaking on the occasion, First Lady Smt Neelam Mishra commended Rural Development Department, led by its Secretary, Shanshanka Ala, IAS, for coming up with the District Panchayat Resource Centre.
The First Lady expressed her happiness to see lots of development taking place in Ladakh for the welfare of self-help groups (SHGs) and women’s empowerment with the help of the Government of India. She underlined the importance of the SHGs becoming self-reliant and independent, with the women’s groups fulfilling their potential by coming up with products that can be sold in domestic as well as international markets. Giving the example of pashmina wool, which has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tagging, she stated that the pashmina products made by women SHGs of Ladakh are yet to reach their potential despite the hard work put in by them and the government.
Stating that Ladakh cannot progress if only a handful of entrepreneurs succeed, the First Lady Smt Neelam Mishra highlighted that all the entrepreneurs and SHGs from Ladakh need to succeed to ensure Ladakh’s progress. Highlighting that the SHGs and entrepreneurs from Ladakh have access to all facilities, barring challenges such as extreme weather conditions and closure of national highways in the winter months, she highlighted various efforts being made for the welfare of women SHGs and entrepreneurs from Ladakh.
Reiterating her commitment to preserve the environment, the First Lady highlighted the need to recycle and reuse waste materials to achieve the goal of a ‘Zero Waste Ladakh.’ She informed the audience that the waste segregation plants in Ladakh are working beyond their capacities and about her plans with the Rural Development Department’s help to come up with a mechanism to recycle waste, such as tetra packs, to make various products out of it. She stated that the environment could be preserved only if concrete and collective actions are taken.
Earlier, Secretary, RDD, Shashanka Ala, IAS, highlighted the achievements of the Department, particularly across six verticals- State/SDP Sector, Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), PM Awas Yojana and Watershed Development Component-Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP). Calling SHGs the backbone of Ladakh, she shared efforts being made to benefit women SHGs across Ladakh. She also echoed the efforts to make villages in Ladakh Zero Waste Villages.
Director, RDD, Sayed Sajad Qadri delivered the vote of thanks.
SSP Leh, Shruti Arora, IPS; ACD RDD, AG Zargar, JKAS; District Panchayat Officer (DPO) Leh, Junaid Amin Bhat, JKAS; officials from RDD; members of SHGs and other officials were present at the event.