Lok Sabha Question No. 612 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: Research and Development in Ladakh
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Jamyang Tsering Namgyal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 612 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2023

Research and Development in Ladakh

## 612.  SHRI JAMYANG TSERING NAMGYAL:

Will  the  Minister  of  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY ͪव£ान  और Ĥौɮयोͬगकȧ मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  institutions/organizations  in  UT  Ladakh registered for Research and Development in Himalayan region in both Pre and Post UT creation of Ladakh and if so, the detail thereof;
- (b) whether the Government spend funds on Research  and Development sector, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether any steps are taken/being taken by the Government to increase the Research and Development in UT of Ladakh; and
- (d)
- if so, the detail thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

ͪव£ान और Ĥौɮयोͬगकȧ राÏयमंğी (èवतंğ Ĥभार)

(डॉ. िजतɅġ ͧसंह)

- (a) The institutions/organizations implemented projects under different  schemes  of  scientific  departments  of  the  Government during  pre  and  post  UT  creation  of  Ladakh  for  research  and development in Himalayan region. The details of which are as follows:

- i. Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research-Central  Arid  Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), Regional Research Station, Leh.
- ii. Highland Agriculture Research and Extension Station, Zanskar, Ladakh under Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST.K).
3. iii.
4. University of Ladakh, Leh.
- iv. High Mountain Arid Agriculture Research Institute, Stakna, Leh
- v. Agromet Field Unit (AMFU), Leh, under SKUAST.K.
- vi. Krishi Vigyan Kendra.Leh (Ladakh), Stakna, Leh under SKUAST.K.
8. vii.
9. viii.
10. Government Degree College, Kargil
11. Sonam Norboo Memorial Hospital, Leh
12. (b)  Yes  Sir.  The  Ministry  of  Science  and  Technology  supported different institutions for Research and Development in Ladakh region amounting  Rs.1206.68  Lakh  and  Rs.  2572.67  Lakh,  respectively, during pre and post creation of UT of Ladakh. In addition, Ministry of Earth Sciences also installed a Radar costing Rs. 500 lakhs for the establishment  of  Meteorological  Centre  at  Leh  and  supported  a project costing Rs. 69.65 lakhs, post UT creation of Ladakh.
13. (c) and (d): Yes Sir. Several steps have been taken by the scientific ministries  to  increase  the  Research  and  Development  in  UT  of Ladakh.  The details of which are as follows:
- i. Meteorological Observatory (MO), Leh was upgraded into fullfledged Meteorological Centre (MC) by Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) after Ladakh became a Union Territory. The Meteorological  Centre  includes  Class-I  Surface  Observatory, Radar and other Observing Systems, Forecasting and Communication facilities.
- ii. The Indian institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore an autonomous body under Department of Science and Technology (DST) operates the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle since 2000. IIA is setting up a campus in Merak, Ladakh to study the Sun. In September 2022, a research project amounting Rs. 69.65  lakh  on  "Studies  of  Aerosol  Optical  Properties  and Associated Radiative Forcing at Leh, in climate sensitive Hindu

- Kush  Himalayan  Region"  was  sanctioned  by  MoES  to  Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
- iii. Department of Science and Technology supported a project to University  of  Ladakh  to  work  on  climatic  records  from  the region and lacustrine environments, shift of the westerlies and its impacts under National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE).
- iv. To  strengthen  the  quality  of  research  in  the  University  of Ladakh and Trans-Himalayan Ladakh region DST supported a project (in April 2023) at University of Ladakh, Leh, for procuring high-end research facilities with a cost of Rs. 700 lakhs, under Promotion  of  University  Research  and  Scientific  Excellence (PURSE) program through a special drive.
- v. Department  of  Science  and  Technology  has  established  a Technology Enabling Centre in  the University  of Ladakh,  Leh with a total budget of Rs. 344 lakhs for creating an enabling eco system, process and support system for technology development, deployment and diffusion, in June 2023.
- vi. In pre-UT creation, DST supported four projects amounting Rs. 169.8 lakhs under the schemes namely Technology Interventions for Addressing Societal Needs (TIASN) and Arid, Semi-Arid and Cold Desert Regions (ASACODER) and Technology  Intervention  for  Mountain  Ecosystems  (TIME)Livelihood Enhancement through Action Research & Networking  (LEARN).  In  post  UT  creation,  Department  of Science and Technology supported six projects amounting Rs. 653.8 lakhs under Tribal Sub Plan. The details are provided in Annexure.
- vii. For the benefit of farming community in the Union Territory of Ladakh,  India  Meteorological  Department,  Ministry  of  Earth Sciences, runs an Agrometeorological Advisory Services (Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva) scheme for district level medium range weather forecast and Agromet advisories are generated and disseminated to the farming community.
- viii. Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has supported two projects in  Ladakh  region  amounting  Rs.95.92  Lakhs  to  Government Degree College, Kargil and Sonam Norboo Memorial Hospital, Leh.
- ix. Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), an autonomous body  under  DST  has  extensively  conducted  geological  and geophysical studies in the Ladakh region since its inception and

- currently implementing six projects. The details are provided in Annexure.  WIHG  has  established  seismic  observatories  in Ladakh Region.
- x. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is deploying its  knowledge  base  and  technologies  in  Ladakh for the cultivation, processing and marketing of commercially important  aromatic  and  floriculture  crops  such  as  Lilium, Gladiolus,  etc.  under  CSIR  -Floriculture  Mission  and  CSIR  Aroma Mission along with active participation of departments of  Ladakh  (UT)  like  Department  of  Industry  and  Commerce, Department of Agriculture and Cooperative society.
- xi. National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR-NGRI), Hyderabad is  engaged in  carrying  out  Drone  based  Magnetic Survey in Ladakh region and Geothermal exploration studies in Puga and Chumatang regions of Ladakh.

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  &  (d)  of UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 612 FOR REPLY ON 06.12.2023

- (1) The following Research and Development projects implemented by Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) are in progress in the UT of Ladakh:
- i. Tectono-thermal evolution of the Karakorum migmatites along Shyok and Tangtse Valleys, India: Implications on the tectonics of Karakorum region.
- ii. Fluid-P-T  evolution  of  ultramafic-mafic  rocks  from  Spongtong ophiolite, Ladakh, India: Implications for geodynamics  of Himalayan mountain chain.
- iii. High  resolution  rodent  biochronology  and  vertebrate  based paleoecology and palaeobiogeography of the Ladakh Molasse Group, North-west Himalaya.
- iv. High-resolution  mapping  of  crust  and  upper  mantle  structure across  the  northwest  Himalaya  and  Lakadh-Karakoram  zone with special emphasis on seismotectonics of the Shyok Suture and adjoining region.
- v. Deformation  mechanism  and  lattice  preferred  orientation  of olivine  from  periodoties  of  Indus  ophiolites  (eastern  Ladakh): Implications for deformation and seismic anisotropy of mantle in a collisional zone.
- vi. Evaluating the condition of deformation during subduction and exhumation  of  the  North  Indian  continental  margin:  A  study based  on  structural  and  crystallographic  features  of  the  Tso Morari dome of Trans-Himalaya, Ladakh, India.
- (2)  The  following  projects  funded  by  Department  of  Science  and Technology to different implementing agencies for Ladakh region in pre UT creation are at points (i) to (iv) and post UT creation are at points (v) to (x):
- i. Development of sustainable Agriculture systems involving fruit, fodder crops and exotic vegetables for better livelihood option to farming community of Cold arid region- Ladakh.

- ii. Innovative technological interventions to address basic household needs of the tribal people of Zanskar valley.
- iii. Technological intervention to improve production of dairy and poultry in rainfed areas of Jammu District.
- iv. Demonstration  of  technologies  for  improving  productivity  of Rain-fed area in Jammu District.
- v. Science Technology and Innovation Hub in Leh, Ladakh UT.
- vi. Doubling farmer's income of tribal farming community through protected cultivation of high-value horticultural crops in Zanskar, Ladakh
- vii. Innovative technological intervention to address basic needs of the tribal farming people of Ladakh region.
- viii. Production improvement, sustainable development and livelihood improvement of threatened tribal nomads of Ladakh through scientific sheep and Pashmina goat rearing.
- ix. Sustaining livelihoods by improving access to solar energy and water in Rong valley in Ladakh
- x. Enhancing  tribal  livelihood  through  organic  vegetable  seed production in cold arid Ladakh UT.

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