Union minister Anurag Thakur announces that Union Cabinet has approved the formation of a Central University in the union territory of Ladakh. The first phase of the university will be completed in four years, informed Union minister Anurag Thakur while announcing Cabinet decisions today. This upcoming university will be constructed with a project cost of ₹750.
The bill for amending Central Universities Act, 2009 will be introduced to facilitate the formation of Central University in Ladakh.
“Establishing this university will remedy regional imbalances in the field of higher education and help intellectual growth in the region, as well as aid propagation of higher education. The central university will also become a model for other educational institutes in the region,” Thakur said.
The jurisdiction of the upcoming Central University will cover the entire Ladakh region, including Leh and Kargil. These regions were left out of the jurisdictions of central universities in Jammu and Kashmir after the state was bifurcated into two union territories.
The Cabinet also announced formation of a integrated multipurpose corporation for shouldering development projects for Ladakh while keeping in mind the tough terrain of the region, said Thakur.
“This corporation will look after development of industries, tourism, transport services in Ladakh and marketing of local products and handicraft. It will also aid infrastructure development and will function as the primary infrastructure construction agency in Ladakh,” the minister informed.
The corporation will be formed under the Companies Act with an authorised share capital of ₹25 crore, Thakur said, adding that the annual outlay for the corporation will be ₹2.42 crore.
Ladakh is a region administered by India as a union territory, and constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. It was established on 31 October 2019, following the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.
