Leh, February 12, 2026: Shri K.K. Pathak, Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India, and Head of the Centre’s Task Force on Deregulation and Compliance Reduction, along with Chief Secretary of Ladakh Shri Ashish Kundra, chaired a meeting with senior officials and industry stakeholders to review the progress of compliance reduction and deregulation exercise in the Union Territory, with a special focus on promoting ease of doing business and boosting tourism in Ladakh.
Shri Bhupesh Choudhary, Administrative Secretary Cooperative Department, presented an overview of Phase 1 of Deregulation 1.0 (2025), covering 23 priority areas, including labour reforms, fire safety regulations, building byelaws, and the Ladakh Land Records Web GIS Portal. The roadmap and broader approach for Deregulation 2.0 were also discussed, along with key learnings and implementation challenges.
Stakeholders from tourism, manufacturing, food processing, school education and the pashmina sector raised various issues.
The tourism industry highlighted concerns related to foreign tourist permissions, Form C procedures, homestay registration, and water management systems.
Manufacturing representatives from Kargil stressed the need for industrial land and better storage and distribution networks.
Food processing entrepreneurs sought support for customs clearances, land allocation for fruit export units, and the establishment of a dry port. Concerns regarding the smart metering system were also raised.
The pashmina industry advocated for GI tagging, authenticity checks, and the establishment of testing laboratories in Ladakh.
Chief Secretary Shri Ashish Kundra reaffirmed the Administration’s commitment to promoting local industries through sustainable and region-specific strategies.
He assured stakeholders that the issues raised were under active consideration and emphasized the development of small, efficient units suited to Ladakh’s unique conditions.
He also highlighted the Ladakh Tourism Portal for easier access to homestay and hotel services and stressed clarity regarding foreign tourist regulations.
In his remarks, Shri K.K. Pathak reviewed issues related to the SDP subsidy, land byelaws, industrial estates, transport infrastructure, and tourism policies, including homestay regulations. He directed departments to maintain accurate records of industrial units and further streamline compliance procedures.
Emphasizing that boosting tourism remains a key priority, he highlighted its critical role as a major driver of Ladakh’s economy. He also called for greater inter-departmental coordination and urged the administration to institutionalize reforms that simplify processes and eliminate procedural redundancies.
The meeting was attended by Sh. Ayushman Kumila, Deputy Director, Cabinet Secretariat; Sh. S. Rajesh, IFS, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF), UT of Ladakh; Sh. Bhupesh Choudhary, IAS, Secretary, Agriculture and Horticulture Department; Smt. Bhanu Prabha, IAS, Secretary, School & Higher Education Department; Sh. Sanjit Rodrigues, IAS, Secretary, Housing & Urban Development and Tourism Department; Sh. Rahul Sharma, Secretary, Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control; Sh. Moses Kunzang, Secretary, Sports & Youth Services; Sh. Mandeep Mittal, IFS, Member Secretary, LPCC; Sh. Mohd Ashraf Bhatt, JKAS, Director, Industries & Commerce; Sh. Sunil Kaul, SIO, NIC; Sh. Tsewang Paljor, Chief Engineer, PDD; Sh. Phunchok Palden, Scientist (F) and Director, NIC; Dr. Tashi Thinles, Director, Health Department; along with representatives from industry bodies and entrepreneurs from Leh and Kargil.
