Shinde arrives in Ladakh

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde Saturday arrived in Kargil town of Ladakh region on his maiden visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

The home minister was received in Kargil by state Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, local legislator Qamar Ali Akhoon who is also a minister, councillors of Kargil Hill Development Council, state Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad, senior officials of the district administration and the army.

Immediately after his arrival, Shinde conducted a meeting with the councillors of Kargil Hill Development Council and officials of the district administration.

Besides the overall security in the border town, the home minister also had detailed discussions with the local councillors about the problems faced by the people of the region during the harsh winter months, sources told IANS.

The cold desert Ladakh region of the state remains cut off from the rest of the country for almost six months as the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway gets blocked due to heavy snowfall on the Zojilla Pass that connects the region with the Kashmir Valley.

Shinde will also attend another meeting of the Leh hill development autonomous council in Leh town where he will stay for the night.

"He is also likely to visit some forward posts of the army in the area", sources said.