Leh: On his first trip to Ladakh, Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir N N Vohra on August 4 held talks with various groups as part of his efforts to facilitate peace process in Jammu and Kashmir.

A five-member delegation of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), headed by chief executive councillor Thupstan Chhewang, called on Vohra and held discussions on various developmental issues in Leh.

The LAHDC delegation advocated a review of allocation of funds to the district in view of its sparse rural population spread over a vast area and favoured a significantly different approach for the region.

The delegation proposed revival of the earlier practice of Ladakh being treated under a separate sub sector plan in the allocation of plan funds with an item-wise plan instead of being subsumed in the larger state plan.

Briefing Vohra of the developmental activities undertaken by the council since its inception in early 1990s, the delegation drew his attention to the tremendous hydroelectric potential of the region, which could be exploited by implementing small projects.

Demanding further delegation of administrative and financial powers, they said the political aspirations of the people of Ladakh could not be ignored under any circumstances.

Later, a 16-member delegation of the Ladakh Union Territory Front, led by its president Tsering Dorjay, called on Vohra and informed him that all political parties existing in Ladakh prior to last Assembly elections in the state were disbanded to give way to the new regional party.

PTI