DH NEWS SERVICE
leh, JUNE 15
Lt Governor Brig (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) on Sunday discussed various issues related to the development of Ladakh with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is on a four-day tour of the cold desert region.
The First Lady, Neelam Mishra, also met the Finance Minister.
Later, the Minister delivered the keynote address at the Credit Outreach Programme in Leh. She handed over bank sanction letters for loans amounting to Rs 5.13 crore to beneficiaries under various central government schemes, Yojana, PMEGP, PM Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PM FME), and Joint Liability Group (JLG) loans.
Sitharaman virtually inaugurated several development projects in Leh, reaffirming the commitment of the Governmen of India to inclusive growth and infrastructure development in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
The Finance Minister also interacted with the officials of the Union Territory administration.
Sitharaman visited an exhibition of local handicrafts and handloom products by Self-Help Groups (SHG) and Local Entrepreneurs in Leh, where she interacted with Rinchen Dolma, a beneficiary of the PM Mudra Scheme. “What a spectacular drive there is in her to use a government scheme and showcase what she has grown. Very well done,” the Finance Minister said.
She encouraged Dolma to move into the next phase of the PM Mudra Scheme and scale up her business.
She interacted with artisans, women-led SHGs, and local entrepreneurs, showcasing traditional crafts, handloom textiles, and sustainable innovations at their stalls. Sitharaman appreciated the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of the artisans, highlighting their role in preserving cultural heritage and boosting rural livelihoods in the Union Territory.
Earlier, she visited the 17th-century Leh Palace, standing on a steep mass of sandy rock hill, dominating the city built by the revered king Sengge Namgyal.
She also visited the Shanti Stupa in Leh. The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, had laid the foundation stone of the Ladakh Shanti Stupa, and it was inaugurated by Venerable Thiksey Khenpo Rinpoche.
