Ladakh infrastructure: Mobile towers will ensure connectivity; FM Sitharaman's major push for digital India

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday reaffirmed Centre’s commitment to the holistic development of Ladakh, unveiling a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening digital connectivity, promoting tourism, and expanding credit access across the Union territory.Speaking at a credit outreach programme organised by the Union Territory Level Bankers Committee (UTLBC) in Leh, the minister announced that the upcoming expansion of the BharatNet project and the installation of new mobile towers will ensure digital access in every panchayat of Ladakh.“The upcoming BharatNet expansion and additional mobile towers will ensure digital connectivity to every panchayat in the region,” Sitharaman said.She praised the implementation of government-sponsored schemes in the region and highlighted that, in line with recent budget announcements, focused support would be extended to promote “layered tourism” in Ladakh. This includes financial aid for new homestays and tourism-related infrastructure, which the minister said would help boost the local economy.The event was attended by MP Mohmad Haneefa, chief secretary Pawan Kotwal, and senior officials from the department of financial services, UT administration, and various financial institutions.

As part of the outreach programme, banks handed over sanction letters worth Rs5.12 crore to 25 beneficiaries under different government credit linkage schemes. According to an official spokesperson, these schemes are tailored to improve credit penetration and foster inclusive growth in Ladakh’s remote, high-altitude areas.The event also featured 15 stalls showcasing local products and services developed by Ladakhi entrepreneurs supported by banks and NABARD, reflecting the region’s growing entrepreneurial spirit.Lauding the role of the banking sector in deepening financial inclusion, Sitharaman credited the JAM trinity — Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile, with transforming direct benefit transfers and improving individuals’ creditworthiness.“Today, PMJDY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana) accounts collectively hold a balance exceeding Rs 2 lakh crore,” she noted.In Ladakh, she added, targeted credit support has empowered artisans, agricultural producers, food processors, and handicraft makers to grow their businesses and reach wider markets.The finance minister also highlighted other key infrastructure developments, including all-weather tunnel projects to improve connectivity, renewable energy initiatives to achieve energy self-sufficiency, NTPC’s green hydrogen push, and the launch of green buses in Leh.