Leh, March 12: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, R K Mathur was called upon by a delegation of Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) led by Ravi Kumar Narra, National President, DICCI at Raj Niwas today.
During the meeting, the delegation discussed prospects of policy framing and special package for promotion of business for Schedule Tribes in Ladakh. They also proposed to establish a DICCI Business Facilitation Centre (BFC) for development of entrepreneurial opportunities for ST in Ladakh through incubation support, capacity building, business skill development and providing financial and market linkages. DICCI is an industry body of SC/ST Entrepreneurs working towards economic empowerment of youth, self-help and Dalit entrepreneurs through business skills and support system and enabling them to contribute to the mainstream economic development of the country.
Sanjiv Dangi, Vice President, DICCI apprised the LG of their objectives, functioning, achievements and collaborations with various national repute institutes. He expressed their intent to work in collaboration with UT Administration of Ladakh for knowledge sharing through workshops and helping the young entrepreneurs with their expert guidance. They committed to do a field study in Ladakh to have a first-hand idea about the need and possibilities that can be explored to benefit the local population and get back with the report at the earliest.
The Lt. Governor advocated that Ladakh has a strong human resource base with young professionals in all fields. He also spoke of the rich natural resources in sectors like agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, etc. and high value potential in local handloom and handicraft with sizeable number of local entrepreneurs already engaged in this sectors. He pointed out the immediate need of technological intervention and handholding in providing the entrepreneurs, self-help groups with supply chain, branding and marketing of their produces.
Mathur urged them to think on the lines of promoting business in agriculture and allied sectors focusing on organic products and handicraft and handloom on a commercial scale and turning 6 months’ economy of Ladakh into a round the year business with required technological inputs. He said that this would ensure value addition to the locally produced crops and other items that in turn will give a fillip to the avenues of job creation and income generation of the local people. He informed that UT Administration is working on an Industrial Policy to streamline and develop the industrial sector with a holistic and inclusive approach to benefit every section of Ladakhi population.
