Leh, Aug. 7: Chief Secretary of UT Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, on Thursday chaired the 7th Board of Directors meeting of SIDCO Ladakh, directing the corporation to accelerate industrial development, strengthen financial sustainability and explore new avenues for revenue generation across the Union Territory.
Reviewing SIDCO’s functioning, Kundra called for a comprehensive assessment of all industrial estates, including land availability, infrastructure, occupancy, utilisation and revenue potential. He instructed the corporation to prepare location-specific action plans with clear timelines, expenditure estimates and measurable outcomes.
The Board reviewed several key proposals, including a One-Time Settlement (OTS) Scheme for industrial plot holders, establishment of four new petrol pumps with EV charging facilities at Leh, Kargil, Nyoma and Zanskar, formation of a SIDCO SFC/NBFC, unified recruitment rules, construction and maintenance of government buildings, and industrial land allotment matters.
Emphasising financial discipline, the Chief Secretary reviewed SIDCO’s revenue, expenditure and audited accounts, directing officials to identify sustainable income sources beyond conventional activities and improve operational efficiency.
Kundra also stressed the need to promote entrepreneurship by creating a digital platform providing information on loan schemes, eligibility criteria and application procedures, besides showcasing successful entrepreneurs as case studies to encourage more youth to avail financial assistance.
Reviewing SIDCO’s transport operations, he directed officials to assess the commercial viability of bus services, introduce technology-based facilities such as online route information and advance booking, and explore public-private partnership models to improve inter-district connectivity.
The Chief Secretary further proposed the development of specialised industrial clusters in horticulture, agro-processing and weaving, supported by Common Facility Centres, to generate employment and strengthen local industries.
To ensure optimum utilisation of industrial land, Kundra directed SIDCO to develop a digital database of industrial estates and identify vacant plots for transparent allotment, including through e-auction, wherever permissible.
He also asked SIDCO to explore additional revenue opportunities through leasing of infrastructure and utility services such as optical fibre and power-related infrastructure, wherever technically and legally feasible.
The meeting was attended by Managing Director, SIDCO, Himanshu Gupta, senior officers of the UT Administration and officials from various concerned departments.
